Zero Dark Thirt

 Zero Dark Thirty - 2012 - Kathryn Bigelow

This film tells the story of how the Americans began the investigation, how they carried it out until tracking down Bin Laden, and finally how they found and killed him.

The plot is interesting and well-told; it spans several years, and although you can notice that some characters underwent changes, the protagonist stays the same throughout.

It begins with cruel scenes of the torture of captured suspects accused of terrorism, but at a point, perhaps almost halfway through, the torture scenes disappear and are replaced by pursuit and tracking scenes, more computer-based or visual, until it reaches the climax with a few gunshots.

They manage to build a bit of tension during the final action sequence.

It is an American film from 2012, directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

The original title is Zero Dark Thirty. As I read, it is an expression (is it a military expression or one commonly used in any setting?) used to refer to 12:30 at night, believed to be the darkest hour.

It is categorized as a dramatic thriller and war film. Basically, it is a story of revenge, based on true events. At the very beginning, it specifically states: "This film is based on first-hand accounts of real events." But it doesn't delve any deeper; for my part, I believe it. It is known that much of what the movie shows actually happened: the tortures, the mentioned terrorist attacks (Twin Towers, hotel in Pakistan, CIA Chapman base in Afghanistan, Abbottabad compound, etc.), and the cases of leaks by American intelligence soldiers or soldiers who eventually came forward to share their story and participation in the raid on Bin Laden are also well known.

The film received 5 Oscar nominations in 2012 (Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound Editing). It only won one, for Best Sound Editing (Paul N.J. Ottosson).

In addition to the Oscars, it earned other nominations and awards:

·         2012 Golden Globes: Best Actress in a Drama (Chastain). 4 nominations.

·         2012 Critics' Choice Awards: Best Actress (Chastain) and Best Editing. 5 nominations.

·         2012 BAFTA Awards: 5 nominations, including Best Film and Best Actress.

·         2012 National Board of Review (NBR): Best Film, Director, and Actress (Chastain).

·         2012 New York Film Critics Circle: Best Film, Director, and Cinematography.

·         2012 Satellite Awards: Best Original Screenplay. 5 nominations, including Best Picture.

·         2012 Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Editing.

·         2012 American Film Institute: Top 10 - Movies of the Year.

·         2012 Directors Guild of America (DGA): Nominated for Best Director.

·         2012 Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Picture, Director, Actress, Screenplay, and Editing.

Film poster photo 3

In my opinion, the film is well-made; it has a documentary-like feel, builds suspense, and follows a coherent storyline, although at times it feels a bit lost in time—though you have to keep in mind that several years passed between certain events. The setting, music, and sound design are well executed. Above all, it recreates a true event, whether or not it strictly adheres to reality, considering that it was made very soon after the events it portrays, and many details remain classified, which makes the task difficult for directors or anyone tackling the subject.

At a certain moment (1:44), there is a display of pragmatism: a meeting is held, and three officials debate with a fourth who supports the idea that Bin Laden is inside the compound, arguing it could be "the third unidentified man." The dialogue goes:

— We've done a counter-analysis of your report. According to the report, this behavior could belong to someone other than al-Qaeda. — I know you give a 40% chance that your man is a high-ranking al-Qaeda commander. But you also say there's a 35% chance he's a Saudi drug trafficker, a 15% chance he's a Kuwaiti arms dealer, and a 10% chance he's a relative of the brothers. — Initially, we agree with you. The house screams security; it screams someone who wants to intimidate, it even screams someone bad. But it doesn't scream Bin Laden. — You know how this works. If you can't prove it's not Bin Laden, prove it's not someone else, like a drug trafficker. — You know we lost the ability to prove that when we lost the Detention Program. Who the hell am I going to ask? Huh? A Guantánamo prisoner with a lawyer? He'll tell his lawyer to tip off Bin Laden. — You'll think of something.

In this brief dialogue, two issues are apparent: one is the pragmatism of the Americans, manifested in the phrase "you'll think of something"; the other is the shift in policy resulting from a change in administration, and therefore, the ruling political party.

As an additional comment, the Pakistani security forces are seen carrying characteristic long sticks. These turn out to be typical of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Known as a lathi, it is considered "an integral part of police functioning," also referred to as a cane stick, baton, or long stick. These batons can reach up to 2.4 meters in length. In colonial times they were made of bamboo, but nowadays they are manufactured from polycarbonate. Their use began with ancient farming inhabitants driving livestock. Over time, they ended up being used by security forces. They function as a tool for intimidation and for dispersing crowds. In the hands of an expert, they can even be lethal.

If there is one thing I didn't like, it was the lead actress's performance. Contrary to what all her "Best Actress" award nominations suggest, I thought it was terrible. She embodies a bland character, constantly looking pitiful, as if hurt by everything, as though she's about to cry. She looks pained by every situation she witnesses, looking like she's about to cry the entire time. In many moments, she spends her time with her mouth open instead of speaking with firmness. The only time she does, she screams like a hysterics patient—the same hysterical attitude she has when writing on the glass with a marker. In the end, she finishes crying as a corollary to her work, her personality, or goodness knows why. It certainly wasn't out of excitement, since at no point is she seen working with enthusiasm; rather, she spends her time complaining, grumbling, and looking uncomfortable the whole time. It felt like she was warning everyone that at any second she was going to burst into tears.

Link to the film's profile on IMDb and FilmAffinity:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790885/ http://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film961277.html