Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty - Slightly boring with a climax we have all been waiting for

Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty has created some ripples throughout America. The media have chosen to ignore the well crafted scenes and nit-pick at the pros and cons of the reality portrayed in the movie. Whether the events in this movie are true (apparently they are) or not, the story is a fine show case of film-making following the Hurt Locker in 2008.

 

Maya (Jessica Chastain) is a CIA operative who is at the centre of the prolific search fro Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Post 9/11, US detainees are using interrogation tactics to locate the where- abouts of the bearded terrorist. One such detainee is Dan (Jason Clarke); a determined individual who uses tactics such as water-boarding (a way of drowning the captive using a cloth and bucket).

 

With a view from the sidelines, Maya fails to see any light at the end of the tunnel regarding the military's tactics. Rather than capturing known associates, Maya believes in taking a softer approach, tracking the movements of Al Qaeda associates, using them as informants, articulating a more approchable tactic to finding Bin Laden.

 

Maya struggles in evaluating her steady approach to Joseph (Kyle Chandler), who is reluctant to involve her at the centre of a media storm which he considers is best handled by US forces.

 

Zero Dark Thirty is another provocative and controversial approach from Kathryn Bigelow, consistently portrayed as another brave creation in film-making. Jessica Chastain leads the way in what is a broad cast on paper, but credential actors such James Gandolfini, Joel Edgerton and Mark Strong make nothing short of a cameo appearance - although Mark showcases a fine "nibble" of authority acting.

 

The overall plot is mundane, with some interesting scenes and some that are simply pointless. The movie is reflecting deep and important issues in the world today, but I felt it failed to maintain my interest all the way to the point when the Navy Seal team get information which suggests they may have identified Bin Laden's hideaway. Bigelow captures the dramatic operation - the capturing of the terrorist - so remarkably realistic that the climax of the movie leaves a satisfying taste in the mouth of those who have been biting their nails for the previous half hour!

 

Kathryn Bigelow's latest offering in a career marked by controversy, results in a movie that lacks any real stand-out performance. Zero Dark is a movie that is already talked about as a film worthy of Oscar recognition but in my opinion, the standard of the plot was smothered by the hype and build up that one can not help to be slightly disappointed. It lacks any chance of winning an Oscar this year.

 

Overall: Zero Dark is entertaining in small quantities. While some of the dialogue may seem drawn out at times, the frenetic, yet exciting ending might be enough to satisfy the average cinema-goer.

 

7/10

                

Lawless

Director John Hillcoat must have pulled some serious strings to reel in what appears to be a phenomenal cast representing what we hoped would be a fantastic film.

Set in Virginia, County Franklin is home to the richest and poorest minorities. While parts of New Orleans is struggling within an era of the great depression, the Bondurant family run a bootlegging operation; a profitable alcohol business which proves to be the backbone to the family's financial survival and an income of reputation from the locals. Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy) is the eldest of three brothers who not only keeps the operation running, but the discipline of his screwball brother Howard (Jason Clarke) and Jack (Shia LaBeouf).

While Forrest is the "silent but deadly" type and Howard a demented alcoholic, Jack is singled out as one with an emotionally detached personality and a liability to their operation. But it is when the town is greeted with a new face that the folks associated with the Bondurant family are put under scrutiny to spill the beans on the operation. Introducing Deputy Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce), the devil of Virginia, who sees an opportunity in the Bondurant's alcohol business revealing a corruptness to his dark personality.


With one eye on Charlie's demands, Forrest is caught up with new barmaid Maggie (Jessica Chastain) who is set on proving her loyalty to Forrest, and something more. As Deputy Charlie is hell bound on destroying the towns alcohol advantage, apprentice Jack is trying to balance an ambition of two sides; to prove his own worth for out of town gangster Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman), and to convince his love to upper class lady, Bertha (Mia Wasikowska).

So as things quickly escalate, it is when Charlie and his cohorts of the law begin to use physicality in order to send a message to Forrest and co who remain stubborn under the pressure of the task force, leading to unnecessary violence and a clash of emotions. Jack, who metamorphose into a cocky somewhat brave new character following his association with Frankie, the result of his mind frame can either help rid Charlie's devious activities, or jeopardise everything the family have worked for.

Based on factual events, the screenplay is well represented while the director had a variety of actors to nit-pick and blend with the right scene and their credentials. Unfortunately, besides from the quality within the cast, the only actor who stood out in this was Guy Pearce, who gave a haunting performance and took the portrayal of sadistic drama to another level. What is introduced and eventually closed as a fairy tale book, the seriousness of Pearce's on screen ambiance makes this flick seem more serious than I think the director had intended. Besides from a complete focus of darkness, Tom Hardy has still yet to disappoint as his grunting be-wildered character is fun to watch and yet again scripted to add that touch of comedy to the story, something he does quite well.

Lawless shys from straight up gun-slinging at times offering a refreshing element when it dies down. It reveals the balance of two potential relationships; with Forrest appearing sceptical of Barmaid Maggie and Jack dangling from the legs of a girl that would be classed out of his league.

Shia Lebeouf is quite convincing as the rookie within the troubled family and although I am a fan of some of his work (Transformers only, not 2, defo not 3), he offers nothing other than a mediocre performance that could have been the result of having very little to represent. His character was left unexplored. However the biggest let down of Lawless was the cameo appearance from Gary Oldman. Whether that was down to actors choice I don't know, but you embrace his onscreen presence at the littlest chance the film offers.

Lawless gets a pass for portraying an emotional story that will always be memorable in terms of it being factual based, even if you do wonder how factual the telling actually is. The fact it is based on some sort of event does convince us to sit and watch it, but for other reasons such as a fictional element, the plot would still appear weak. Like many movies of this genre, the premise will try to win you over by re-tracing its steps with violent scenes. The violence does come every so often and when it does it hits hard, avoiding Quentin Tarantino's slapstick red sauce and more realistic gore, all at the hands of Pearce's character.

I expected much more in terms of a better plot and smarter dialogue. It appeared every time a dull moment was upon us, the film felt the need to dive in with over the top violence. Guy Pearce is the vigilante and is suspect to the result of the scenes you will most likely remember; the violent ones. He sticks out for that reason because his dialogue and on screen portrayal alone will be the only motive behind anyone classing this movie one of the best of 2012. But is that fair? on the bases of one actors performance? maybe not, but the proof is on the screen.

Overall; Entertaining to say the least with a back-forward love story, but without Guy Pearce, the plot and over all characters would have no impact when it comes to the award cabinet...Factual or not!

7/10