Review of Zero Dark Thirty (2012) by Stevey B — 05 Jan 2014

The first half of this is rather slow, but this is one of the few times a director can justify how methodically the story is built up. The intro with the recordings of 911 and other calls from the towers on Sept 11 is very sobering, and reminds us that while we may see this as a movie, it isn't a fake story. Jessica Chastain's performance builds up the tension and obsession along with the damage it is doing to her; by the end of the film, she's completely spent and alone with no idea what's next. Jason Clarke is solid as her supervisor, one of the 'interrogators' ie. torturers who's work we see a few times. When this film really takes off is in the second half, when the compound is found and Chastain's character is jumping up and down for them to take it out or at least get in there. It's a very effective device to have her walk up to the window of boss Mark Strong and write the ever increasing # of days since they've sat on the info until finally there is action. Once that action starts, it really is can't miss film at it's best. When a POI reappears long thought dead, Chastain's Maya pushes hard to get people following him, and makes an impassioned plea to one of the ops (a very solid Edgar Ramirez), and then we see the cat and mouse chase of trying to find 'a needle in a haystack' one man in a crowded Pakistan town. This is where things really pick up and build. The tension, suspense, anticipation and nerves just ooze out of everyone here. Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt are fantastic as 2 members of the SEAL team that goes in (also Frank Grillo in fine form). I also appreciated that this film didn't flinch in depicting what happened; there were no cut away or glossing over of the operation.

The performances here were also quite solid, from Chastain especially, and also: Stephen Dillane and James Gandolfini as CIA & White House higher ups; Kyle Chandler, Mark Strong, Jennifer Ehle as CIA staff/bosses, and the aforementioned SEAL team.

A strong film, that builds itself up methodically, and while that may take away from some of it, I think a pure action film here would have been a disservice to the subject matter.