'Zero Dark Thirty' - Study of a gripping manhunt!

Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal team up once again for the gripping 'Zero Dark Thirty', the compelling tale of the hunt for Osma bin Laden; that is more of a clinical study than a human drama. If there is one negative thing to say about the fantastic 'Zero Dark Thirty' it is just that; Bigelow & Boal commit to the hunt for bin Laden while sacrificing the emotional connection to the hunters.

The film opens up with a full two minutes or so of black screen; the theater is filled with the distressed calls of victims from 9/11; it is a chilling, anxiety filled two minutes that set up the film perfectly. Unfortunately, what follows is more of a procedural based film that steps us through the process of capturing one of Americas most wanted villains. Jessica Chastain is Maya, a young CIA Operative who becomes obsessed with finding bin Laden. When we are first introduced to her, she is witness to the torture of a terrorist suspect; waterboarding and other measures are used. It is obvious that this is her first time as she uncomfortably watches fellow agent, Dan (played by the fantastic Jason Clarke), brutalize his captive.

I am sure this tortuously long scene is intended to make a statement of the use of torture; but it bears fruit as well as Maya begins to put together the pieces of bin Laden's whereabouts. Chastain is perfect as Maya; she begins as a shy almost introverted woman; we see her evolve from that shy young woman into a very strong and somewhat obsessed field agent hell bent on capturing bin Laden. But what we do not see, is the emotional evolution. We really don't understand why she has become this way. This is mainly due to the near perfect detail of the procedure that Bigelow and Boal bring to the screen. It is really no wonder why our Congress is questioning the details of the film, it was that good.

But that attention to detail derails any emotional impact you may have towards Maya. While it is gratifying to see a very strong female lead; I would have liked to become emotionally connected more. This is always the difficulty in real life dramas; to become emotionally connected. It is difficult to do when you know the outcome. In this years fantastic 'Argo', director Ben Affleck was able to create a connection to the characters by making them human; by focusing on the detail, but also by letting the audience in to each character. If Boal and Bigelow had done a little more of that, they would have had a near perfect piece of film-making.

That being said, 'Zero Dark Thirty' is a riveting piece of American cinema that deserves all of the praise that it is getting. As I mentioned, Chastain was perfect as the CIA operative; Clarke as her partner was excellent as well and should have gotten a Best Supporting Actor nod. But again, the performances are almost secondary to the story as well as the procedure. The dedication of the CIA, of the military was stunning to watch. The final breach and capture of bin Laden had to be one of the most gripping 30 minutes of film that I have seen for a long time.

This 4 star Best Picture nominee is well worth the price of admission. And while I don't think it is good enough to take home the Best Picture gold; I do think it is one of the Best Films of the year. Finally open in wide release; 'Zero Dark Thirty' is a must see.