[SarahMarie]

I would add that there are *no spoilers* but as it's depicting the highest profile man hunt in history, we all know how it ends..

http://www.thisisafilmblog.com/zero-dark-thirty-2013/

Would love to know what everyone else thinks of it. Chastain totally deserves awards for this role.

[toogoodfortv]

Watched it last night - really enjoyed it. I found it very interesting! The movie itself was a bit slow to get into it but it did pick up and it was all necessary to provide the context for the raid etc.

I'm not big on politics and don't know a lot about the war in Iraq and Afganistan, Al Qaeda or OBL, but I did come out of it looking to find out a bit more .. done a bit of reading around the whole operation this morning. I like how, in the movie, it shows the female CIA intelligence agent from when she first arrived in Pakistan - uncomfortable with the torture for information, finding her way .. but as the movie progresses., we see her come out of her shell, question the leaders, take on a more controlling and leadership role. I would love to know how true to life this is. I did read about the woman (unidentified, obviously) who found the compound and based her conclusions of OBL being inside, on circumstantial evidence. Going by the movie, her whole CIA career in Pakistan was solely focused on finding OBL.

I always wonder what would have been, had he been captured alive and brought to the U.S - After all, OBL was number one on the list ..

[flagpole]

It's very interesting. not necessarily a great movie. but it's like a compromise in that it is easier than watching a 150 minute documentary, but not as accurate.

i find it hard to believe that OBL was captured by the plucky young ginger girl that can fix everything but her love life.

[Lady Spice]

I thought it was good. Not "Best Picture" good, but entertaining enough.

I thought she played the part brilliantly though, but I do think the film was a tad slow in places, until it finally got to the final "closing in" sequences.

[toogoodfortv]

Originally Posted by flagpole

It's very interesting. not necessarily a great movie. but it's like a compromise in that it is easier than watching a 150 minute documentary, but not as accurate.

i find it hard to believe that OBL was captured by the plucky young ginger girl that can fix everything but her love life.

True, but as her character develops over the 12 years, you can see how much work she has put into finding him .. basically for 12 years, her only focus was Bin Laden... plus, her character is based on a real life female CIA tracker who had a main role in finding OBL

[Inspiration]

I think i'll watch it from the same perspective I watch an episode of homeland. I'm not going to take it too seriously and i'll try not to let little things annoy me that I suspect will annoy me.

[Partly Cloudy]

Originally Posted by toogoodfortv

I always wonder what would have been, had he been captured alive and brought to the U.S - After all, OBL was number one on the list ..

He would've ended up in Guantanamo or at some black site. No jurisdiction in the U.S. would've wanted to hold him for trial, not even NY or Virginia -- the two most obvious places -- nor any U.S. maximum security prison. Not in my backyard, would've been the watch word.

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Partly Cloudy

He would've ended up in Guantanamo or at some black site. No jurisdiction in the U.S. would've wanted to hold him for trial, not even NY or Virginia -- the two most obvious places -- nor any U.S. maximum security prison. Not in my backyard, would've been the watch word.

I agree. The risk of him being found innocent on a technicality (no matter how small) would have been intolerable. This was one guy that they needed dead.

[Inspiration]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

I agree. The risk of him being found innocent on a technicality (no matter how small) would have been intolerable. This was one guy that they needed dead.

And yet they're holding the man who planned the attacks and are planning to put him on full trial.. so that argument doesn't quite stack up really. The means to get justice were available to them.

[Partly Cloudy]

And yet they're holding the man who planned the attacks and are planning to put him on full trial.. so that argument doesn't quite stack up really. The means to get justice were available to them.

They didn't close Guantanamo, which was something Obama wanted to do in his first term and his Attorney General was looking for places in the US to send the prisoners from down there, but nobody wanted them in their area -- Senators and Congressman were yelling their heads off about it -- and some felt these guys should not be given civilian criminal trials anyway but be tried by a military court. So ... there you are. If no jurisdiction wanted to take the guys at Guantanamo, what makes you think they'd want to take bin Laden?

[rachelright]

So think Jessica Chastain deserves the Oscar for this film, I mean her performance was amazing, and like her last 5 films have pretty much been great too but this film I think is her standout performance!
And also the fact she even says this was her hardest role to date, and the stuff she did to prepare for it, she should be the front runner this year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwA5H...ture=youtu.be#

[Inspiration]

Originally Posted by Partly Cloudy

If no jurisdiction wanted to take the guys at Guantanamo, what makes you think they'd want to take bin Laden?

Not arguing against that.. my point was if they can put on a trial for the main 9/11 plotter, why not for OBL?

[Partly Cloudy]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

Not arguing against that.. my point was if they can put on a trial for the main 9/11 plotter, why not for OBL?

I would say there's been a change over time in how these guys were to be handled. For instance, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, to whom I think you are referring was captured back in 2003 (I think). Only last year -- nine years later -- was he put on trial, by a military court at Guantanamo. (Not here in the U.S. by a civilian court which is what the Obama Administration's Attorney General originally wanted.) So, I would guess that "our" first priority for handling senior level terrorists, at this point, is to take them out, one way or the other, not to necessarily capture them. But, what do I know? The Administration hasn't consulted with me.

[Inspiration]

Originally Posted by Partly Cloudy

I would say there's been a change over time in how these guys were to be handled.

Ahh I see your point. So had KSM been located last year, he would probably have been taken out rather than taken to Cuba. Yep you may have a point there.

[Parthenon]

I thought it was really well-paced; despite being quite long, my interest never waned for a moment. Jessica Chastain put in a stellar performance as Maya, she reminded me a bit of Julianne Moore. I always enjoy a film that leaves you asking questions at the end, like "was it all worth it?"

Best picture might be going a bit far, but it's definitely worth a watch.

[Ads]

Am hoping to see it later although my other half isn't too keen as thinks it looks "boring". Can anyone who has seen let me know if some people might find it "boring"?

[Parthenon]

Originally Posted by Ads

Am hoping to see it later although my other half isn't too keen as thinks it looks "boring". Can anyone who has seen let me know if some people might find it "boring"?

Two guys walked out of the cinema (out of boredom I presume) after about 40 mins where I saw it. If people expect an action war film (e.g. Black Hawk Down), I think they'll be disappointed. It starts slowly, but there's plenty of tension and drama once it gets going. It's not exaggerated at all and tries to stay true (mostly) to the original events that took place. Some people have said the siege part of the film was underwhelming but I was riveted and thought it was the best part.

[cheesy_pasty]

It depends what you're looking for in this one.

It was watchable but there was nothing outstanding about it. It's not a bad movie as such, but it's not great either.
I don't get the love for Chastain however. Regardless of the part she was playing, it came across to me like she was cast simply for eye candy. Not only that, but her performance felt artificial and forced.
It's no wonder she's not the favourite for the Oscar going into the awards.

[JasonWatkins]

Originally Posted by cheesy_pasty

I don't get the love for Chastain however. Regardless of the part she was playing, it came across to me like she was cast simply for eye candy. Not only that, but her performance felt artificial and forced.
It's no wonder she's not the favourite for the Oscar going into the awards.

I've been slightly bemused by this as well. She was perfectly fine in the role, but you never got any kind of sense that she had any kind of compulsion or fanatical obsession with finding OBL.

[Parthenon]

Originally Posted by cheesy_pasty

It depends what you're looking for in this one.

It was watchable but there was nothing outstanding about it. It's not a bad movie as such, but it's not great either.
I don't get the love for Chastain however. Regardless of the part she was playing, it came across to me like she was cast simply for eye candy. Not only that, but her performance felt artificial and forced.
It's no wonder she's not the favourite for the Oscar going into the awards.

Not sure about being cast for eye-candy, she's not exactly the most attractive woman they could have got. I thought she was great. Mind you, I also thought Jason Clarke dominated everytime he was on screen and no one else seems to have mentioned him.

[cheesy_pasty]

Originally Posted by Parthenon

Not sure about being cast for eye-candy, she's not exactly the most attractive woman they could have got. I thought she was great. Mind you, I also thought Jason Clarke dominated everytime he was on screen and no one else seems to have mentioned him.

She was good don't get me wrong, but Oscar worthy? I don't think so.

Quvenzhané Wallis & Jennifer Lawrence deserve it more than Chastain in this one.

[Stansfield]

Originally Posted by Parthenon

Two guys walked out of the cinema (out of boredom I presume) after about 40 mins where I saw it. If people expect an action war film (e.g. Black Hawk Down), I think they'll be disappointed. It starts slowly, but there's plenty of tension and drama once it gets going. It's not exaggerated at all and tries to stay true (mostly) to the original events that took place. Some people have said the siege part of the film was underwhelming but I was riveted and thought it was the best part.

Just didn't feel any tension at all, before they found the 'House'....Up until then, I was truly bored with this film, but the final 75 mins, hooked me in, just.6/10

Originally Posted by Parthenon

Not sure about being cast for eye-candy, she's not exactly the most attractive woman they could have got. I thought she was great. Mind you, I also thought Jason Clarke dominated everytime he was on screen and no one else seems to have mentioned him.

....or John Barrowman....

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by Ads

Am hoping to see it later although my other half isn't too keen as thinks it looks "boring". Can anyone who has seen let me know if some people might find it "boring"?

It is fairly boring.

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by Stansfield

Just didn't feel any tension at all, before they found the 'House'....Up until then, I was truly bored with this film, but the final 75 mins, hooked me in, just.6/10



....or John Barrowman....

I know! how the f did barrowman swing a part it in! lucky he only had about two lines!

[Rodney McKay]

The idea that one person was the one who tracked Bin Liner down is typical Hollywood bollocks, they always have to make things simple for American audiences.

Thousands of people were involved in finding him, many who are now dead just as Tom Hanks didn't save D day all on his own.