Review of Green Zone (2010) by Scott S — 28 Nov 2010

IN FIVE WORDS â" STANDARD DAMON AND GREENGRASS FORMULA.

Scorsese and De Niro, Burton and Depp, Scott and Crowe, Hollywood is filled with â~bankableâ(TM) director/lead combinations that studios are prepared to issue blank cheques to. Though their status is yet to reach anything like that, coming of the success of the Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon join forces once again on Green Zone, a politically inspired action/drama that as cinematically satisfying as it is thematically under whelming.

Make no mistake this is standard Greengrass/Damon fare. Most notably, Greengrassâ(TM) characteristic handheld action sequence direction returns with more of the love it or hate it results. In Green Zone camera shake is used to engagingly visceral or unbearably nauseating effect (depending on your point of view), and more proficiently than the scores of copycat films since Bourne 2. However, whereas the predominantly hand to hand combat of the Bourne films leant itself to this kind of â~physicalâ(TM) direction, Green Zoneâ(TM)s persistent use of night vision and gun fire combine to deliver an aural and visual assault that will prove to be overbearing for even for some of the most avid action fans.

As to the major political theme of the movie (that the American government lied about the presence of WMD as a justification for pre-emptive action), itâ(TM)s not that it is handled especially poorly in Green Zone as much as it used to no great effect. While a big budget Hollywood movie cannot and should not be relied upon to do justice to the depth and complexity of a unilateral incursion and occupancy, when it does base the film on such an issue the inevitable presentation of revisionist, reductive history can detract from the overall package. Green Zoneâ(TM)s reluctance to make a statement of any substance or force therefore is both a failure and a success. It is a failure in that it does not take full advantage of its compelling source material. It is a success in that it embraces this failure and the understanding that a tacked on political motif typically makes a superior foundation for a Hollywood film than preachy diatribe.

In terms of performances of note Damon is in cruise control as a watered down version of Jason Bourne, Greg Kinnear is suitably obnoxious as the Government puppet that you just want to punch in the mouth, and Brendan Gleeson admirably downtrodden as the â~donâ(TM)t be naïve/Iâ(TM)m too old for this shitâ(TM) CIA chief trying to fit square pegs in round holes on the ground in Iraq.

Green Zone is not a film that will leave a lasting impression on its audience. Those looking for an interesting take on the Iraq war should look elsewhere. However, those who enjoyed the Greengrass/Damon combination in the Bourne 2 and 3 should find a comfort level here, and should enjoy the new coat of paint.