An Epic Tale of Current Events and Foreign Policy

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2013)

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.
If you look through the message boards on IMDb, you will find accusations of "jingoism" and "American propaganda" concerning this film. Now, I did not read through the arguments made by these individuals, so maybe they had some valid points. But nowhere in the film did I think this was a propaganda attempt to make America look great. Few people are as critical of American foreign policy as I am (at least in this country), and what I saw was a general presentation of the facts. Agree or disagree with the tactics and methods, but this was probably more or less what actually happened.
This film was nominated by the Academy for Best Picture, Best Actress (Jessica Chastain) and Best Original Screenplay. Let us explore these nominations briefly.
As far as the Best Picture is concerned, I think the nomination is fair, as this is an epic film and well-made. This could easily made anyone's "top ten of 2012" list, so I will not argue against the nomination. However, I find it highly unlikely it will win. (Actually, I am still unclear how "Hurt Locker" won.) The picture is great, but not flawless. My biggest issue is actually a personal complaint -- the casting of Chris Pratt. Seeing him only as Andy from "Parks and Recreation", I found it hard to take him seriously as the leader of Seal Team Six.
Moving on to Jessica Chastain, it pains me to say that she does not deserve this nomination. Chastain is an exceptional actress and has made a name for herself over the last few years, going from unknown to A-list in record time thanks to roles in "Tree of Life" and "Take Shelter", among others. But this was not an ideal role for her. Every time she cussed, I cringed inside. Some people cuss naturally and some do not -- Chastain does not, and it made it hard for me to believe she was this person. In general, she hardly seemed the part. An intelligent spy, sure... but she seemed so out of place during the "heavy" scenes.
Now that I have been critical, I feel ready to heap some praise. And that comes with the Best Original Screenplay. Not only was this clearly deserving of the nomination, but it probably has a solid chance of winning. The script was dense, detailed, covered a wide range of places and people. The research that went into such a script is immeasurable. This attention to detail allows the film to work on two levels, too. The general audience (ignorant of world affairs) can see it as a hunt for bin Laden. Those who are more aware of the situation will be able to take in terms like ISI, KSM and various other factoids that the characters spout in reckless abandon. There really is a narrative here, despite the film being called plot less by many (including the Great Ebert).
This is not a feel good movie, and it is not the kind of film that I will probably watch a second time. And heck, it might give the false impression that killing Osama bin Laden actually stops terror, which is a terrible mistake. Yet, it is a well-made picture and worth seeing. I fully endorse it.