Overthought and under-executed

Rating: 5/10 (3 February 2013)

Jessica Chastain is brilliant in this movie. Unfortunately nothing else really keeps up with her.
Jason Clarke doesn't do anything to help. And is too much like Jason Clarke, rather than a PhD CIA interrogator. Similarly Kyle Chandler doesn't give the impression of a CIA heavy-hitter and few of the others are given any chance to make an impression.
Some of the choppy camera work is obviously included to try and make you feel more a part of the action, it just pushes you out by making you feel a bit off balance and aware of that you are watching a movie.
It wants to be a documentary but it doesn't tell anything new, and in some situations it actually conflicts with accepted public information.
The script is bland. The first hour assumes a level of knowledge that a lot of the audience simply won't have. Then there are scenes to build the tension, where it is obvious that big tag lines are dying to be in there, but they just don't come.
Even the action scene is done at virtually walking pace. This may be more realistic, it may be what really happened. But it isn't cinema friendly.
All in all, disappointing.