Zero Dark Thirty — A tracking tale told from the basic ground work point of view

Rating: 10/10 (7 March 2013)

Zero Dark Thirty is telling the story about a possible series of event that could have led to the assassination of Osama bin Laden. Unlike what the subject matter and the trailer could lead us to believe, this is not a military movie or even a high octane flick. No, this is the relentless pursuit of a single goal by the CIA, and all the ground work it required. The point of view adopted is somewhat unusual, but absolutely excellent.
At first, you are shocked by the initial introduction to what it really meant originally. After capturing your attention, the film pulls you deep within the folds of the operation, the paperwork, the interrogations, the videos, the calls, the meetings, the orders... It sounds boring, but somehow, it keeps you riveted.
The actual military action is but a small part of the whole scenario and it is treated in the same business like manner, it's not an adrenaline rush. Neither is it a detached affair. You really feel the intensity. The whole flick has very personal feel, you get into the shoes of those working on the whole operation, from every perspectives: administrative, management, investigation, interrogation... It's not just because we follow that one CIA agent, played so brilliantly by Jessica Chastain, but because we get to know everybody, even some individual in the enemy camp.
I can't find even one thing to say wrong about it. I've put off seeing it because of the subject matter, thinking of seeing an other American gung-ho blow up the bad guys spectacle, but it wasn't the case. I was incredibly surprised by the treatment.
Just see it.