Zero Dark Thirty

Jmac:

This movie screams USA! USA! at the top of its lungs. We were so excited to execute the terrorist mastermind that to a certain extent we didn't care how it happened, we just wanted it done, as if that would provide closure for someone, although the long war is ongoing and will be for quite some time. Bin Laden’s death was so sought for I was given my first movie review at the butcher’s counter in my local supermarket, when the guy behind the counter said “You’re totally going to love that movie.... they show the kill shot.” It is with this mindset that America entered the theaters, meaning in reality the movie could have been total and utter sh*t and we still would have sung its praises.

Don't let the last sentence dissuade you from watching the movie. It is a great film.... an extremely long film... but a great film. The film follows the female CIA officer responsible for pin-pointing Bin Laden’s location throughout the US ‘War on Terror’ from 9/11 through Operation Geronimo (the raid at abbottabad to kill Bin Laden).

The movie is sort of a history lesson in sorts because if you were not following the subject matter then a number of the terror attacks covered in the movie, where not in the zeitgeist of the average American, even though it bore upon them directly. Having studied terrorism in my master’s degree program, I was surprised to see several near east terror attacks shown, and it was saddening all over again to see Hollywood’s rendition of the attacks, and know that they were coming.

We all know how the movie ends, because it is the biggest historical event inside of at least 15 years in either direction of history... definitely for Americans but it bares on the entire world. One area in which the film had controversy, was the supposed glorification of torture, and the idea that it never leads to any intel.. I'm not quite sure I agree with this synopsis because, the name of the driver for UBL (Usama Bin Laden) was gleaned directly from torturing someone... just because KSM (Khalid Sheikh Mohammed) is used as the poster boy for not torturing someone, because he was a pansy and spilled on the plane, does not mean torture is not effective....its not super effective, because you get so many different leads that you have to follow, but to say it has never worked is an incorrect conclusion... It is just a tedious and soul destroying path to take, but can get results if that is the course of action you choose to pursue.

But I digress, I just felt it was necessary to present one of the major contradictions to the movie, by several other critiques. An issue that I had with the movie was that it portrays the raid on Bin Laden’s house to take around 30 mins, while the actual raid was over in 5 to 10 from entry to extraction with intel, all while leaving top secret stealth tech behind for the Pakistani’s to show to the Russians and Chinese... for a price of course.

Overall the movie is entirely worth watching, and while a bit long, does a very good job of telling the story of how we finally got that bastard.

I give it 4.2 sleepless nights pouring over data out of 5.

PS: I didn't feel bad about any spoilers because I had several calls to turn on the TV when the announcement came down and heard most of the details in real time. If you didn't maybe you should get some more up to date friends.

Kmac: I was hesitant to see this movie because of the controversy over the torture scenes and killing of Bin Laden. Neither of these criticisms seemed to be worth that much. The torture was neither glamorized or vilified. It was simply presented as what it was, a means to an end. Most of the movie is about the gathering of intelligence and working towards this one very specific goal. The lead up to the capture was rough if you remember dates. Each time the date would change I would flinch. Here comes the London bombings. Here comes the Mumbai attack. I imagine it is what members of the Greatest Generation feel watching World War II movies. You forget about it day to day but seeing it represented brings back the feelings. I felt the same feeling during the killing of Bin Laden I felt the night it was announced. I was both relieved and celebratory, and yet hesitant because I don’t like to celebrate death. The actual death wasn’t gratuitous. It was methodical as I imagine it was to the Seals. I recommend this movie as a student of history and an American. It will leave you thinking if nothing else.

I give it 4 out of 5 phone calls to your relatives. “There is a press conference. I heard it’s Bin Laden. Do you think it’s Bin Laden?”