Zero Dark Thirty

Director: Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker, Point Break)
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Kyle Chandler
Certificate: 15
Run-time: 157 minutes

IN SHORT: Zero Dark Thirty isn't a film that you necessarily enjoy. It's engaging and powerful though, led by an Oscar-worthy performance from Jessica Chastain.

 

Zero Dark Thirty is the code-word for half past midnight, which is the time that the world's largest man-hunt ended. A group of highly trained and experienced SEALS launch a raid upon a compound in Pakistan. For months, American special ops have been monitoring the building with the suspicion that it's being used to house the most wanted man in the world - Osama Bin Laden. Watching from an office through a satellite feed is Maya (Chastain) the CIA officer who convinced officials to start the raid. Her career, her reputation and the lives of innocent civilians around the world are praying that she's right.

Those are the final scenes and the operation is over in no more than five minutes. However, Maya spent eight years getting to this point. Eight painful years of lost leads, unreliable witnesses, shady politics, cloak and dagger secrecy, failed terrorism attempts and some successful terrorism attempts. Maya's entire CIA career has been focused on capturing this one man and no matter how long it takes her, no matter what she has to do to get the information, she's committed to her task. Throughout her eight years stationed in the East, many agents come and go but she remains vigilant and stubborn in her pursuit.

Maya's job is hindered by political struggles and bureaucracy.

Jessica Chastain's performance is the moral compass of the movie. Maya represents the frustration and desperation of America and their war on terrorism. In her first few weeks in Pakistan, she watches on as fellow CIA officers torture a suspected Al Qaeda informant. You can see that she's not used to these barbaric and gruesome methods but she maintains an emotionless face. As the months turn into years, Maya becomes hardened to the violence and everyday dangers of her job. She no longer goes out for meals in the city, she doesn't socialise and she uses a wig to disguise herself.

The remainder of Zero Dark Thirty's cast is fairly eclectic - Mark Strong, James Gandolfini, Torchwood star John Barrowman, it's a strange mixture. I wasn't quite sure about Chris Pratt as a SEAL, I'm used to seeing him being a buffoon in shows like Parks and Recreation so it was an odd casting choice. I was most impressed by Jason Clarke, who plays Dan, the lead operator of the 'Black site', a building where Al Qaeda suspects are tortured. Dan is suitably intimidating and psychotic when going about his job, but caring and reserved outside of it. To be honest though, the film belongs to Jessica Chastain.

Pratt and Edgerton are two of the SEALS that take part in the climactic raid.

Bigelow's film has sparked a lot of controversy, controversy that I'm not too fussed about in all honesty. The film has been criticised for being 'pro-torture', however the torture scenes, which are sparse and not over-done, feel vital to the plot. The characters aren't sadists, they don't relish torturing their captives - it's a means to an end. People have also criticised Bigelow for her use of real 9/11 audio footage along with the words 'Based on first-hand accounts of actual events.' in the very early moments of the film. Whenever something holds such a claim, you always have to accept some embellishment though, no? 

Whilst I did prefer The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty is a fascinating espionage drama. Bigelow substitutes entertainment for realism, so the film may feel over-long and talky to some viewers. The majority of the film is framed around offices and large meeting tables. Be patient and you'll be rewarded with a masterfully created pay-off. The outcome of the raid is inevitable but it's still a nerve-wracking experience and easily the most tense I've felt in a cinema in recent times. Zero Dark Thirty is worth watching for those final scenes alone. Hell, if Maya can wait eight years, you can wait 157 minutes!