Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

"Zero Dark Thirty" dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden and focuses on CIA Operative Maya (Jessica Chastain).  Maya spends years sifting through intelligence, looking for clues, and interrogating prisoners with a razor-like focus.  Her hunch that a man called Abu Ahmed is a personal courier for bin Laden consumes her as she faces a temporary dead-end and then a breakthrough that brings a dramatic end to her quest.

The level of violence (aka torture) in this film makes it difficult to watch at times.  The direction is amazing, especially during the raid scenes where bin Laden is finally killed.  I found Chastain to be very effective in her role as she conveyed the highs and lows of her character's single-minded determination.  Some good supporting acting from Jason Clarke and Kyle Chandler among others.  The film did feel a bit long but it covers a lot of ground and I guess is meant to show the long road to bin Laden the lead character experienced.

A lot of controversy surrounds this film as to how realistic some of the scenes and the general public likely won't know how close the film is to reality.  My advice is to take it as a dramatization not as 100% authentic.

Good direction and acting with a difficult story - A-