Directed By - Katheryn Bigelow
Starring - Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton
One of the first things you wonder after you finishing seeing the film is that how Bigelow, whose directorial career was marked by glamorous and nonsensical mainstream cinema, has turned into such a skilled filmmaker. Every scene, every frame of ZDT is gritty and recieves that golden touch that we saw in The Hurt Locker (2008). Marlon Brando had once commented ' Women can be the most ruthless filmmakers' , how right he was! Bigelow delivers a ruthlessly violent and unapologetic film about what will possibly go down as the greatest manhunt in history and she no has no qualms in potraying in particular the 'questionable' methods by which the people involved achieved it. It is what i'd like to call controversially beautiful.
ZDT starts off with a series of authentic victim recordings from the WTC on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001. The sense of despair is heightened by the fact that the screen is kept pitch black The film then jumps to 2003 where we see Maya (Chastain) a fresh CIA recruit starting work in a 'black site' in Pakistan. She is under the charge of Dan a ruthlessly efficient CIA veteran. Dan has detained Ammar ( Trivia - the man who had helped with minor arrangements for the hijack and is currently in US custody). Dan subjects him to humiliation and torture involving waterboarding and they finally trick him into revealing information on Osama's courier. The trail of the courier is what the film follows for the next 6 years until a chance encounter in Abottabad finally leads them to the end of the tunnel.
Everyone who intends to watch this film does not require any knowledge about the manhunt. Although is you are well read about it, the film becomes that much more interesting. Its extremely well researched. I have a lot of time reading (some would say obsessing) up on America and it political actions, CIA has always been on top of the list and yet i was amazed to find how Bigelow has infused major events like the Camp Chapman Attack (one of the most gruelling attacks on CIA) and the Marriot hotel bombing in Islamabad to the manhunt. Now you have to take her on face value and believe that these events were linked but the way she portrays it leaves no doubt that they had something to do with it. In all, Its a Watertight script.
One of the most interesting facts about this film its not a heroic potrayal of an agency's (an agent in particular) effort to deliver justice much like Steven Spielberg's Munich (no credit taken, it was a brilliant film) and nor is it very matter of fact. You almost feel like you are then agent yourself. You are frustrated when all roads lead to nowhere, excited when you hit a jackpot and downright nervous in the brilliantly shot climax where Operation Neptune Spear is portrayed in its full glory. Bigelow involves you and engrosses you.
Also what is fantastic are the emotional bits. The frustration of Maya who has given over a decade of her life in a mission that her country was fast losing interest in. The grit and determination of the task force that carried out the killing, the nail biting tension of the CIA who knew it was a long shot are some of the example of a film that is filled with such moments.
Of the cast, Clarke is amazing as CIA agent Dan. Its a calculated performance and is the true potrayal of a spy. He does not own slick gadgets and roam doing action stunts. He is an everyday man, except he's on a mission. But its undoubtedly Chastain as Maya who steals the show. In one word - she is charismatic. Seldom you see such a powerful potrayal but such an underplayed execution. She almost reminds one Meryl Streep, and that's saying a lot. You almost become her and feel every pulse of emotion through the roughly 2 hour 45 minute film.
For all who have been wondering about the climax - trust me its all that it promises to be. Its almost a documentary like picturisation of 2 hour long operation (cut to roughly 30 minutes) and the final scene of the film showing Maya leaving pakistan to finally lead a life that she is unsure she'll ever be able to enjoy is a true highlight of Bigelow's genius.
In all, Bigelow has once hit the bulls eye with a consistently accesible and gritty potrayal of America best guarded secret. She just might spoil Spielberg's party at the Oscars
Rating - 9.5/10
