Zero Dark Thirty

The trouble with a reviewing on Zero Dark Thirty is that it wasn’t a movie. What you’ll get here is a series of news articles acted out. Acted well, sure. I don’t mean to be dismissive of the talent and skill on display here, as it’s considerable. But scenes come and go like all they were meant to do is tick off another signpost on the way to bin Laden’s head. Each ends with a “and here’s the general feeling of what just happened”. People were scared, then angry, but then they got really scared again, but then they got really angry. Those are the depths this film plumbs. Each event is just evidence, justification, for the ending everyone knows is coming. How did anyone get upset about the torture? All the film says is that it happened and the public didn’t like it. There is no defense or condemnation. Characters are likewise pushed along a flat progression. How did the same director do this and The Hurt Locker?

There really is no nuance here for me to write more about. The story is as you, no doubt, know it. Nothing new was added. Should a passionless reminder of what the hunt for Osama entailed, this is just the thing.