Zero Dark Thirty (2012) Jason Clarke, Chris Pratt, Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton Movie Review

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Repetitively Obsessed

Two years after the Al Qaeda attacks against the U.S. on the 11th September 2001, the CIA are interrogating prisoners to find out the location of Al Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden. Joining that team is Maya (Jessica Chastain) who is about to experience her first taste of extreme interrogation methods which go on in secret and whilst uncomfortable with some of the tactics knows that sometimes it is the only way of extracting the truth. It is the start of Maya's single minded pursuit to learn the whereabouts of Bin Laden to the point of it becoming an obsession.

Who was "Zero Dark Thirty" made for, as in what sort of audience is the target demographic? I ask because whilst director Kathryn Bigelow has delivered another sharp production it didn't work for me as it struggled to keep hold of my attention with what seems to be frankly quite a repetitive drama. Now I know this is an account of the decade long hunt for Bin Laden which started after the 2001 attacks but what I got was Jessica Chastain as Maya being hell bent for leather to track him down, standing up to her male colleagues, acting tough followed by a moment of terrorism and then the whole thing seems to repeat as we get Maya exhibiting her obsessive side again, standing up to her male counterparts and so on. Don't get me wrong as it is well put together but it seems repetitive.

And so it brings me back to who "Zero Dark Thirty" is made for and I am not entirely sure. Do those who suffered directly from the Al Qaeda terrorism want to watch a movie about the decade long hunt for Bin Laden. Do feminists who will appreciate a positive portrayal of a strong woman find a movie which seems to over highlight this with her acting blokey every few scenes really enjoy this. I am sort of struggling as to what demographic "Zero Dark Thirty" was made for and I am probably wrong but it seems like a movie for those who were obsessed about the hunt for Bin Laden as the character of Maya who comes across as extreme. That to me makes it a movie with a small target audience as unless you go in to this with an interest in the CIA operation it doesn't offer up enough other stuff to keep you interested.

What this all boils down to is that "Zero Dark Thirty" didn't work for me as whilst technically well made and in fairness mostly well acted by Jessica Chastain its repetitive nature didn't capture my attention.


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