Film Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

The hunt for Osama bin Laden was a long drawn out operation that took over a decade to complete following the 9/11 attacks, in Zero Dark Thirty we see this relentless pursuit shown through the tireless efforts of Maya (Jessica Chastain). She is called out to Pakistan to see the torture of suspected Al-Qaida operatives in the hope of information on bin Laden and other current terrorists. Her obsession in finding Abu Ahmed who is believed to be a courier for bin Laden reaches fever pitch and threatens her entire career in the CIA.

Maya (Jessica Chastain)

What is an immensely thrilling and tense film about the hunt for bin Laden has been overshadowed by the torture scenes early in the film, it does show a direct correlation between the information gained from torturing prisoners leading to the final death of bin Laden himself. This should bring the debate of torture of prisoners for information to the fore but unfortunately the politicians and critics are criticising the film rather than the actual events, torture was definitely used and based on the available evidence it's impossible to distance it from the success of bin Laden's capture.

Jessica Chastain is impressive as Maya who has to deal with terrorism first hand as well as a sceptical White House towards the information and requests she needs to hunt for bin Laden. The battle of the entire CIA and American government as a whole to capture bin Laden is shown through Maya's relentless pursuit of new leads. We see her struggle to watch the torture inflicted on prisoners by fellow CIA officer Dan (Jason Clarke) but slowly start leading interrogations herself as she becomes hardened to this way of life.

US Navy SEALS attack Bin Laden's compound

A concern going into this movie is that it might be a very pro-American film about how great they were at capturing bin Laden but nothing could be further from the truth. This is a very dirty and gritty account of the officers getting their hands dirty in the hunt for the most wanted man in the world. The depiction of torture could be taken as a criticism of the lengths taken by the US to find their man. The film creates some superbly tense set-pieces as suspected CIA officers are subject of attacks and we see the bombing of an Islamabad hotel unfold, despite knowing the ending you are still completely drawn in by this superb thriller.

3.5/4 gripping and tense thriller which is superbly acted.