Zero Dark Thirty, 2012.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
Starring Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Chris Pratt, Kyle Chandler, Taylor Kinney, Mark Duplass, Stephen Dillane, Frank Grillo, Edgar Ramirez, Harold Perrineau, Jennifer Ehle, James Gandolfini, Scott Adkins and John Barrowman.
SYNOPSIS:
The hunt for Osama Bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is recounted from first hand accounts.
Zero Dark Thirty was the mission code name for the operation to kill Osama Bin Laden on May 2nd 2011, and whilst the details of the operation itself are known to us already the near-decade long search for the man behind the worst terrorist attack in history is not. Zero Dark Thirty is primarily about these events.
Kathryn Bigelow employs a cunning tactic at the start of the film, she evokes from us the painful memories of that fateful day back in 2001. We have all seen the images from that day – there is even a published book with every image of the planes and the Towers that was taken within it – the images themselves do little to evoke the feelings they once did. Wisely Bigelow had realised this and so we do not see the images from that day, we see nothing, but we hear everything. As a result the horror of 9/11 comes flooding back, to the point of being uncomfortable and drawing a physical reaction, it’s the work of a director who knows people and her craft.
The film jumps ahead 2 years, not dealing with the initial aftermath but instead taking us to when Maya (Jessica Chastain) joins the investigation. Flown out to her first interrogation in Pakistan, Maya is confronted with the reality of the war of terror and the process of gaining information; torture. Whilst the torture scenes themselves are disturbing, and have since been condemned, it’s hard not to agree that torture is the best course of action when dealing with radicals wholly committed to their religious causes. That’s not to say the film condones torture – it absolutely does not as some have decided to take up as their new cause. Bigelow does not provide a commentary on whether torture is right or wrong, merely that it took place. In fact, the torturer, Dan (Jason Clarke), eventually decides to get away from it because he can’t do it anymore. The film shows us that whilst torture may be incredibly painful and distressing for the tortured, the torturer can suffer with the stress of his actions just as much.
Maya is the focus point of the film – and Chastain is simply great in the role – and the main narrative is her belief and pursuit of a man named Abu Ahmed, whom she believes is the key to finding Bin Laden, and despite the opposition and objection she receives for her beliefs sticks to her guns and works the case.
Where as the images of 9/11 are never seen, Bigelow reenacts the London 7/7 bombings and the attack on the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan, all to shocking effect. Again, memories of those days – especially in the case of London – come flooding back and emotion runs high.
Zero Dark Thirty is intensely gripping and engrossing, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat but I may as well have been. Despite knowing that it all works out in the end the build up to locating Bin Laden is a suspense filled ride that I have not had in a cinema for a long time. So much was at stake and in the pursuit of Bin Laden people were continuing to die, and yet they had no idea where he was, which weighs heavily on every one as it did on America. Once they find the compound in Attabad – where Osama was -they are still not certain Bin Laden is there, except for Maya who is 100% sure and stands her ground and fights for a military operation. This is unfortunately where the film begins to lose a lot of the tension it so wonderfully built up from the opening scene, it is still immensely interesting seeing how events unfolded but once the mission actually begins all tension is lost. Which is mainly in part to these events happening less than 2 years ago, and the every detail of the Zero Dark Thirty op being known to us via every media outlet known to man in the days and week following May 2nd 2011. So Bigelow is not at fault here, I guess our lust for complete disclosure from our leaders is.
Zero Dark Thirty is a great film with a fascinating insight in to events which so dominated all of our lives for 10 years. Bigelow’s direction adds an undoubtedly fine touch and it’s criminal she wasn’t nominated for Best Director at this years Oscars.
Flickering Myth Rating: Film ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Martin Deer
Originally published January 26, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
