A must watch

Rating: 9/10 (7 January 2014)

Here's Bigelow's best work here, though I haven't seen The Hurt Locker. She's outdone herself, and she should be proud, of this fine achievement. I love Bigelow's films, yes even Near Dark and the cop thriller surprise, Blue Steel, though admittedly Point Break's my favourite, closely followed by Strange Days. What we have here, is an interestingly told story, that chronicles the crucially important bits of information that finally led to the capture of the most wanted man in the world. We recount a couple of dates of other tragic events in the space of that near ten years, including the London Bombings in July of 2005, plus a couple of other bombings, one I never saw coming, that took the life of a woman CIA operative, funnily enough, the day after David Hick's release. I must say Chastain's performance bloody impressed the hell out of me. She stole the show, yet I liked Jason Clarke, a master of the American accent (hard to believe he's a true blue Aussie) as an anti terrorist extractor, who in the first powerful twenty minutes or so, beats an Alkida figure, using a couple of torture tactics on him, while Chastain uncomfortably watches him. When alone when the prisoner, she gives him a simple piece of advice. I would of like to see more of Clarke in this film, as he comes in and out a few times later. The middle east is a truly scary place, and to have this wary environment, a truly uncomfortable atmosphere for and an over two a half hour drama, I'll take off my hat to Bigelow for being brave. Even the setting of the Marriott restaurant, just before it's rubble, or that car shop in Kuwait- they actually have a city, makes you uneasy. And this is a bravely made made. Then comes that date May, 1, 2011. The whole exercise, where they suited up, boarded the helicopter, and assailed that fortress, scouring the place before finally hitting that particular room, and exterminating the number one enemy, was unrushed and told in meticulous detail. A ten out of ten job. A truly hairy part of the film. When they hit Bin Laden, I must of missed something, cause then it was all over, the deceased taken back in a body bag for absolute confirmation, unless it was the shot of a guy who looked younger though. I just missed something. Just don't miss this.