Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Mark Strong, Joel Edgerton
Running Time: 157 minutes
Certificate: 15
Extras: No Small Feat, The Compound Long Version, Geared Up Targeting Jessica Chastain
Kathryn Bigelow’s (THE HURT LOCKER) ZERO DARK THIRTY tells the true story of the search for Osama Bin Laden following 9/11, with particular focus on CIA Operative Maya (Chastain). With an extremely well known story, and an ending that will surprise nobody, ZERO DARK THIRTY is a tough sell – so does it work?
Jessica Chastain is the perfect choice to play focal point Maya, her acting depth helps her to be strong yet sympathetic and above all interesting. Surrounding Chastain are a bevy of classy performers: Jason Clarke (LAWLESS), Kyle Chandler (SUPER 8), Joel Edgerton (WARRIOR), and the imperious Mark Strong (ROCK’N’ROLLA) which add to the style on screen. Sadly this is also a weakness with crisp images, beautiful direction and perfect production design making the film look false and completely lacking any grit, rough or ugliness that was surely prevalent.
Mark Boal’s story is a thankless linear trawl through ten years of hunting but he succeeds in making the search as tense and humourless as it undoubtedly was. Happily his script is full of jargon, abbreviation and acronym as you’d imagine US Military chat is – what they’re on about is anyones guess.
Set largely on military bases, in offices and even torture rooms, Bigelow manages to keep the film interesting to look at with some beautiful wide shots of the barren desert and some picture perfect, and horribly staged, images of Maya in serious mood.
ZERO DARK THIRTY is a little ‘style over substance’ for some of its exhaustive running time, but don’t let this disuade you. Whilst the movie is serious, intense and miserable it is also a true tale of what can be achieved through hard work, intelligence and a whole lot of torture – well this is America. USA, USA, USA!
Extras: A couple of so-so featurettes and an extended sequence are all you get.
ZERO DARK THIRTY is released on Blu-ray and DVD 10th June via Universal
