Zero Dark Thirty

****
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow

Even though viewers know Bin Ladin is dead going into this movie, Kathryn Bigelow's innate ability as a filmmaker makes for an intense and gritty dramatic thriller. After she and screenwriter Mark Boal blew critics away with The Hurt Locker in 2009, this team returned to make a film depicting the greatest manhunt in American history.

After opening with recordings from 9/11, the film chronicles the process which CIA operatives used to bring down the former Al-Queda leader. Dan (Jason Clarke) and Maya (Jessica Chastain) are agents working together in Pakistan, tasked with the job of interrogating prisoners and compiling as much data as they can in regards to this radical organization. Maya is a top level member of her division, recruited straight out of high school. The early years of her career are devoted entirely to finding a man regarded as one of the most dangerous people alive.

Between the graphic torture scenes and terrorist attacks, it's pretty remarkable how Bigelow is able to immerse audiences into this distorted world which most Americans only know about through what they see on the news. Most war films attempt to strive for a realistic approach, but are nonetheless plagued by Hollywood components. That is not the case here. From the moment the film begins to the closing sequence, viewers are transported to the fear and confusion of the Middle Eastern atmosphere. The cinematic techniques which Bigelow uses to capture this dismal setting is what makes the experience of watching this picture so compelling.

Nevertheless, what separates this film from The Hurt Locker is that there isn't quite as much emphasis on character development. Although the acting is great, the action tends to overshadow the story at points. It's not bad, but it is what keeps the film from being riveting in my opinion.

However, Jessica Chastain gives a remarkable performance. Whether it's her facial expressions during the interrogation sequences, or just her sheer presence on screen, she embodies the internal and external conflicts of her character very effectively. Clarke also does a great job, portraying a more original and believable tough guy. He makes trained killers look like they wanna go cry to their moms, and yet he still possesses the desire for an ordinary lifestyle. Kyle Chandler also has a nice deal of screen time as their boss Joseph Bradley, and is well suited for the role.

Like a lot of films released around this time, this one is up for best picture and several other Oscars. I still think Argo deserves to win, but I thoroughly enjoyed the artistic attributes of this picture. While not as groundbreaking as Bigelow's previous works, it's definitely one to see.