Review: 'Zero Dark Thirty'

Columbia Pictures

With the tag line ‘The greatest man hunt in history’, Zero Dark Thirty could give the impression that it will take on the characteristics of a broad, drawn out epic. If this were the case, the result may be a film that misses the feelings and emotions that went to such a journey, setting up for a loss of the audience. Fortunately, in Zero Dark Thirty, director Kathryn Bigelow dramatizes the search for Osama bin Laden by focusing on one woman’s pursuit to find him causing for a depiction that explores just as much the human spirit involved as the procedural efforts of the search.    

 Zero Dark Thirty begins in 2003 with CIA officer, Maya (Jessica Chastain) arriving to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan. It is here that she accompanies Dan (Jason Clarke), a fellow CIA officer in his interrogations of individuals connected to Osama bin Laden. Soon after this, Dan is reassigned to Washington D.C., giving Maya a much larger role in the search for bin Laden.

Throughout the seven years that follow, Maya is involved in several frustrating interrogations, dead ends and false information acquired which leads her on a search that appears never ending. She is also witness to not only attempts for her own life but also the successful attempts for the life’s of her fellow CIA officers. It is not until May of 2011 that the location of bin Laden becomes nearly certain which leads to a forty minute finale of the SEALs invading the fortress that contains bin Laden.

The search for bin Laden being depicted through Maya’s personal journey is a decision by Bigelow and writer Mark Boal that allows for a personal story that features the human side of this search while fully exploring the procedural efforts of the CIA. The most impressive aspect of this though is that Maya’s journey is presented in a way that never takes away from the hunt for bin Laden or vice versa. 

Maya goes from a timid, young CIA operative who appears to be uncomfortable with the mission she has been given to a somewhat harden but fully determined leader. During this character arc (the first two hours of the film) Maya’s pursuit for bin Laden is only meant with disappointment which helps to show how grueling this search really was. If the much debated, controversial scenes that feature intense interrogation methods were not used, both Maya’s personnel growth and the emotionally tolling search may not have the same effect.  

 Also deserving plenty of praise is Jessica Chastain as she is flawlessly conveys the many emotions of Maya. In the grueling hunt for Osama bin Laden, Maya is seen has scared, angry, sad and joyous, to name just a few emotions, which are handled in such a way by Chastain that are subtle or not over the top but at the same time manage to get the point across that Bigelow and Boal want to make. The effectiveness of Maya’s character arc would not be on the same level if it in weren’t for this aspect of Chastain’s performance.

 It is important to note that the focus of this film is not the SEALs, despite marketing efforts. With that said though, the now historical SEALs team is a major part of Zero Dark Thirty’s extremely well crafted and unforgettable finale. Basically all shot through a night vision lens, this intense invasion lets suspense take over and even though the outcome is obvious, it becomes very difficult not to be fully attentive. Like she did in The Hurt Locker, Bigelow once again takes a very real situation and cinematically presents it as authentically as possible.

Zero Dark Thirty has received plenty of criticism for its images and presumed views but Bigelow’s refusal to tip toe around issues is something that can be admired. Even though it may not be the popular choice, her cinematic but raw depiction of controversial issues makes for engaging films that are certain to start plenty of conversation and debate, something that is desired out of a film experience. Because of this and its high quality craftsmanship, Zero Dark Thirty is a film that at the very least deserves a viewing where personal beliefs along with outside noise should be left at the door and original opinion and thought should be allowed to form.

Grade: A-