Kathryn Bigelow’s films are always high quality, well conceived and expertly realised.
Originally conceived as a story about the ‘failed’ decade long hunt for Bin Laden, this film was hastily revised upon his death at the hands of Seal Team 6 last year.
The new improved version is often compelling and morbidly fascinating, but just like The Hurt Locker before it, ZD30 might be an exceedingly proficient film, but it isn’t a great movie experience.
Maya (Jessica Chastain) is a CIA prodigy added to the team on the ground in Pakistan with a primary goal of the locating and capture of leading Al Queda figures – principally Usama Bin Laden. She is young, driven and single minded, and with her pale skin and red hair obviously not likely to blend in with the locals.
As she arrives the team are ‘working’ a mid level captive in a process that takes days and a strong stomach. Maya looks on wide eyed and perhaps even disapprovingly, then steels herself and reminds herself of the ultimate goal.
On the other hand lead interrogator Dan is especially willing and more direct, obviously having far more experience in this area.
Progress is slow and frustrating. The small team suffers setbacks, some minor, others more serious, as they pursue every lead and every shred of information toward securing the outcome.
Despite being the central figure in the film, Maya is not a superhero or Ms Rain Man. We does not have psychic visions or see things that trigger amazing hunches. In fact she is loathed at times by her superiors, some of whom wish she would lighten up and pursue smaller fish. But her perceived weakness is actually her strength, and Maya’s stubbornness keeps her on the path and constantly reminding those above her what they out to achieve, using a thick red texta as her weapon.
The story is a bit dry, with the occasional explosion to bring us back to sobering reality, but if it was more interesting someone would have made a reality show about it by now.
A lesser director might have embellished proceedings somewhat, or more likely shown cutaways of a Bin Laden lookalike lying low out of the public eye. But we never see the man until the mission that sees his demise, and even then it is but a glimpse of an old man with gray beard and hair.
At the risk of giving everyone’s critical darling a low score and incurring the wrath of those who think I am against ‘freedom’ or some other such rubbish, let me first say that where ‘based on true stories’ are concerned, I find a score based upon three criteria;
1 / How much is true? No reason to suggest ZD30 is hugely inaccurate in a big picture sort of way, but it has already been labelled as fanciful from enough quarters to say it isn’t 100% free from enhancement. (No real complaints there, it was a top secret investigation and mission after all.)
2 / If not true, does that dull the power of the story? Here I would argue ‘no’. The basic plot line couldn’t be far off the mark, and the hunt for Public Enemy #1 was morbidly fascinating.
3 / Well is it interesting? Fascinating yes. Compelling? Yes. Realistic? Probably. Entertaining? Not so much. But interesting? Not so much.
If anything I would say it had a few decent scenes, some factually debatable elements to add spice, and some solid acting. History might show that it tells an important story about the killing of one of the more dangerous men in the modern era, but like The Hurt Locker if I was to put 10 films in a time capsule to show movies from 2013, this would not be one of the first to pop into my mind.
Final Rating – 7.5 / 10. The stylised version of the manhunt for one of the most loathed figures of our time is well made, but regardless not the best drama you will see this year.
