Kathryn Bigelow’s 'Zero Dark Thirty'

[Liam_H]

How intense are the torture scenes? Its causing some controversy and the one thing that has made some people uncomfortable.

[Poeman]

Originally Posted by Liam_H

How intense are the torture scenes? Its causing some controversy and the one thing that has made some people uncomfortable.

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

start of the film is kicking off with a long driven torture scene...it is overwhelming to take in, but it isnt something that was unlikely to happen. Waterboarding is an issue which they address it in the film, but it was not the answer to finding Bin Laden...Which is another thing the Politicians are going off on about. After the first 15 minutes things are basically pick up on the whole search for bad guys

[Poeman]

I like the final trailer of the film that came out a week ago...They used a cover of Metallica's Nothing else matters

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[DoomsdayApex]

Dammit, I've just realized that both Gangster Squad and Zero Dark Thirty are released on the same weekend.

[flickchick85]

Originally Posted by Poeman

I like the final trailer of the film that came out a week ago...They used a cover of Metallica's Nothing else matters

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

Yep, best trailer yet. And that cover's by Scala & Kolacny Brothers, the same ones who did the cover of "Creep" for the Social Network trailer. I'm just waiting for some trailer to use their equally fantastic Radiohead cover of "Exit Music (For a Film)."

Man, I wish this movie were screening near me before Jan 11th. Glad to hear everyone whose seen it so far feels it lives up to the hype.

[Spideyfan93]

Poeman, yea I saw it at the Regal theater Wednesday afternoon!

I was surprised to see Michael in the movie too, automatically thought..."WALLLLLLT!"

[Poeman]

Originally Posted by Spideyfan93

Poeman, yea I saw it at the Regal theater Wednesday afternoon!

I was surprised to see Michael in the movie too, automatically thought..."WALLLLLLT!"

lol thats where I saw it too, went after work...Was packed and sold out. Any clapping after your film was over?

It was hush silence in mine, sort of like a feeling of relief

[DACrowe]

Originally Posted by Spideyfan93

Has to be in the top 5 for 2012. Executed with subtlety but conviction but equally hilarious.

Indeed. There are times where I feel like they Hollywoodize it a bit too much, but it is fleeting. That moment has great conviction while feeling real and totally in character. The entire theater was applauding and laughing.

[DACrowe]

Originally Posted by Liam_H

How intense are the torture scenes? Its causing some controversy and the one thing that has made some people uncomfortable.

There are two very, very intense scenes. One is the first scene of the movie. I won't go into details, but they are very effective.

I don't know the details about this particular detainee, but we had black sites and did do this. I think where opponents of torture, myself included, may be more disturbed is how it portrays CIA operatives reacting to the new anti-torture push of the Obama Administration. According to journalists who have extensively covered the issue, there were those in the CIA who were repulsed by this. In the movie, it is treated more as an annoyance that keeps them from finding information as easily.

[Spideyfan93]

Originally Posted by Poeman

lol thats where I saw it too, went after work...Was packed and sold out. Any clapping after your film was over?

It was hush silence in mine, sort of like a feeling of relief

2 or 3 people clapping slowly out of sync...it was weird haha.

[lime]

What's with the low IMDB rating?

[Poeman]

Originally Posted by lime

What's with the low IMDB rating?

Bunch of haters who are against torture or those who are boycotting the film...The movie isnt even out in most places. Only NY and LA and you can see what the reviews are saying at rottentomatoes

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zero_dark_thirty/ (95% fresh with over 75 reviews)

[lime]

ZDT will be an amazing film. I just feel it.

And I don't even like The hurt Locker!

[roach]

I saw this movie yesterday and I loved it.

[Hunter Rider]

Amazing film, it really does a great job of feeling authentic and at the same time being cinematic. It's not some flag waving military machismo movie, instead it's a fascinating look at the very real, unpleasant, painstaking, frustrating, failure ridden and ultimately successful hunt for one of the most evil men in history.

Kathryn Bigelow crafts a masterfully paced thriller that follows Jessica Chastain's Maya through 10 long years of interrogations, information gathering and pattern reading to get to the final pay-off, every step is engrossing and racked with tension, Bigelow manages to make you feel like you're watching real events unfold while still framing them cinematically giving the credibility of a documentary while never looking like one.

The film does not shy away from the ugly or try to paint bravado spewing heroes. Instead it shows professional and dedicated people working themselves ragged and at times doing unpleasant things in order to bring a mass murderer to justice. The torture scenes in the first 30 minutes are particularly uncomfortable to watch but I appreciated that film did not shy away from the fact that the idealistic notion of the white hat hero is not going to cut it in this war.

Even though we know the outcome the 2 hours plus it takes to get there are gripping and fascinating, the twists and turns are surprising to see unfold. When the moment comes where the Seal team go to take out Bin Laden the sequence comes off realistically with no moneyshot's and no excuses for what the team had to do, I really loved the way the closest look we get at a dead Bin Laden is from the team leaders cell phone pic.

The wide shot of the stealth chopper carrying Bin Laden's corpse landing back at the base perhaps captures the movie in a nutshell, it is simplistically final and yet beautiful in it's framing.

On the acting front everyone is good, especially Jason Clarke as a burnt out interrogator who starts off with a cocky facade. Chastain is the movies lead and is mostly good, but on a couple of occasions her attempt to be a hard ass does not ring true, one in particular where she says "I'm the mother****er that found this place" comes off like a school teacher reading a Sam Jackson line. However her subtle emotional undertones in the final scenes are superb, capturing a feeling of relief as she visibly looks like a giant weight has been lifted off her shoulders, but also giving the impression of "What do I do now?" after spending ten years chasing Bin Laden tirelessly.

I have not seen the other predicted contenders for best picture at the Oscars but this certainly has set the bar high as the one to beat for me, a truly magnificent achievement.

10/10

[Marvolo]

I would love to see this, but none of my local theaters are getting it. Its really odd too. My town never misses a high profile release. They are still playing Skyfall and it comes out on bluray next month but they wont pick this up.

[Liam_H]

Highly enjoyed this movie.

[Drizzle]

Great film. I thought it was much better than The Hurt Locker and if it wins Best Picture, I wouldn't complain.

[Jack Napier]

I think it's the best of the year and a shoe-in for best picture. 10x better than "The Hurt Locker".

[Drizzle]

I also liked how they didn't "Hollywood-ize" the raid on Bin Laden's compound and turn it into a Michael Bay movie.

[Comicbookguy339]

4/10. My anti-torture feelings don't even come into this. The characters were thinly written. The film drags for most of its runtime and the raid at the end? If this is how it went down then they were lucky they got Bin laden. *SPOILER* They crash a helicopter into the back yard.

[jacobed]

They didn't try to. It malfunctioned

[chamber-music]

I thought the film was alright. I don't think its Oscar best picture worthy.


Jessica Chastain's performace is the the only thing oscar worthy about the film which isn't to say the film isn't good.

It felt almost like a companion piece to a movie like The Green Zone more than the Hurt Locker.

The night attack on Bin Laden's compound and the Pakistan market search scenes did have some of Bigalow's trademark Hurt Locker tension.

I was surprised by some of the actors who popped up in supporting roles like John Barrowman from Torchwood, Doctor Who and Arrow as well as Stephen Dillane aka Stannis from Game Of Thrones.

Dillane's American accent was a little dodgy I think compared to fellow Brit Mark Strong's.

[terry78]

Checking this out tomorrow night. If the government is actually attempting to investigate what the flick is dealing with, my curiosity is piqued.

[Nightmare]

Can't wait for this. Totally looking forward to friday.