Kathryn Bigelow’s 'Zero Dark Thirty'

[Solidus]

Superb film. Probably my favorite of the year. Powerful and tense. Not as action filled as The Hurt Locker, but I still like it even better (which I loved The Hurt Locker as well).

The last sequence was so tense.

10/10

 

[Gianakin_]

Any people here who hated The Hurt Locker but loved this one?

 

[Liam_H]

Didn't hate the Hurt Locker but had quite a few problems with it.

 

[Gianakin_]

And you liked 0D30?

 

[Liam_H]

Gave it a 9 out of 10.

 

[Gianakin_]

I see. And what were your problems with THL, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Liam_H]

This is gonna be hard considering I saw the movie only once nearly 3 years ago. I loved the most of the action scenes within the movie and how tense they were but the film as a whole I found dragged a lot because I wasn't too interested in what was happening. Some of the plot turns I felt didn't fit such as the Call of Duty scene.

The same flaws can be found in ZDT with Jessica Chastain's character, Maya, and how its structured. However, it felt that most of the scenes in this movie drove the plot forward along with how Maya reacted or was effected by them. So essentially the story and character in this worked better to keep me engaged from beginning to end than the THL did.

There's certainly more I can say about this but I need to give THL a rewatch to really know what I'm saying.

Edit: The middle of ZDT where all the bureaucracy is happening is gonna make or break for a lot of people. You either into it or won't care and find it unnecessary and tedious.

 

[Gianakin_]

I get it. Thank you.

 

[marvelman2006]

I felt the same about THL, outside of the tense bomb moments what else was really going on in the movie, even when he came home it was depressing and boring? Im seeing ZD30 tonight and Im hoping its great.

 

[Kane52630]

I thought the first hour dragged and it didn't pick up until the middle of the 2nd hour. I really dig the last 30 mintues but people are touting this as a Oscar level movie? nah, not even close. Hurt Locker was easily better than this. I did love Chastain's role in it.

 

[terry78]

Chastain strikes me as a very good female action hero type if given the opportunity.

 

[Kane52630]

Yeah I've pretty much seen her in everything (9 films and counting) and she hasn't done a bad or mediocre performance yet.

 

[terry78]

She's got kind of a Linda Hamilton thing going on.

 

[Kane52630]

In a way, she pulled off some Sarah Connor s*** in The Debt.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I thought the first hour dragged and it didn't pick up until the middle of the 2nd hour. I really dig the last 30 mintues but people are touting this as a Oscar level movie? nah, not even close. Hurt Locker was easily better than this. I did love Chastain's role in it.

I disagree completely and in truth I'm not even sure what Oscar level means as the selection process is dubious at best, but I'm curious, out of what's on offer what do you consider as being Oscar level for 2012?

 

[RKO]

In a way, she pulled off some Sarah Connor s*** in The Debt.

I like The Debt, a lot. Except for Sam Worthington it is a very good thriller.

 

[Kane52630]

I disagree completely and in truth I'm not even sure what Oscar level means as the selection process is dubious at best, but I'm curious, out of what's on offer what do you consider as being Oscar level for 2012?

I agree with you, the selection process is pretty dubious but for me a film that gets nominated for an Oscar should be engaging from start to finish. I wasn't engaged with Zero Dark Thirty until almost half way in. It's a good but not great film. As for me I'm all on Life of Pi when it comes to the Oscars.

I like The Debt, a lot. Except for Sam Worthington it is a very good thriller.

I thought he did a great job especially during his breakdown moment.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I agree with you, the selection process is pretty dubious but for me a film that gets nominated for an Oscar should be engaging from start to finish. I wasn't engaged with Zero Dark Thirty until almost half way in. It's a good but not great film. As for me I'm all on Life of Pi when it comes to the Oscars.

Interesting, I thought ZDT was gripping and involving all the way through but take Lincoln for example, I was bored with it and didn't really enjoy it but I can see why it would get an Oscar nomination on craft despite it personally not being something I liked much. I'm hoping to see Life of Pi tomorrow but I'm pissed at having to see it in 3D lol.

 

[Kane52630]

Oh trust me, it's probably the best 3D film i've seen in a while.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I avoid 3D at all costs, I have nothing against those that like it but to me it's a gimmick that adds nothing, but more importantly the glasses are uncomfortable and make my eyes hurt and head hurt.

 

[mclay18]

I think ZDT will be the third political tie-in film to gross over $100M domestically, like Lincoln and Argo has. There's serious intrigue and the film has been well-received critically.

I expect to play for a while once it's out nationwide.

 

[Visceral]

I agree with the spill guys on this one.

 

[Liam_H]

Lol, which one? The three or the one?

 

[Drizzle]

Any people here who hated The Hurt Locker but loved this one?

I didn't hate The Hurt Locker but I didn't really see what the big deal was. I couldn't connect with Renner's character at all. There were probably five movies that were nominated for Best Picture that year that I felt were more deserving to win (yes, including Avatar). That being said, I loved Zero Dark Thirty and it trumps Hurt Locker in every way.

 

[The Guard]

I think THE HURT LOCKER was a very good movie, but I also think its a bit overrated as a film. The character work just wasn't all that impressive, that film lived on its tension, which was amazing, but there's so much more to that world and that job (Around the time the movie came out, I knew a guy who did that on a high level).

Colbert's bit on the government looking into the whole torture aspect in this film this last night was pretty funny, but unless I'm misreading reviews, I thought the film suggested that it wasn't so much torture that led to finding Bin Laden, but a number of steps in the manhunt? Can anyone who's seen the film comment on that?