Zero Dark Thirty 4K 2012

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.s Team 6 in May 2011.

Storyline
Maya is a CIA operative whose first experience is in the interrogation of prisoners following the Al Qaeda attacks against the U.S. on the 11th September 2001. She is a reluctant participant in extreme duress applied to the detainees, but believes that the truth may only be obtained through such tactics. For several years, she is single-minded in her pursuit of leads to uncover the whereabouts of Al Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden. Finally, in 2011, it appears that her work will pay off, and a U.S. Navy SEAL team is sent to kill or capture Bin Laden. But only Maya is confident Bin Laden is where she says he is.

4k movies reviews
Zero Dark Thirty - this is one of the hottest premieres of the 2012-2013 season. This film has received extremely high praise from professional critics and is a candidate for the highest awards in the main categories (5 Oscar nominations confirm this). However, despite the acclaim from critics, the audience reaction to this film is very mixed. Therefore, I see my number one goal as identifying the main features of this picture and considering it both from the point of view of a professional critic and from the side of an ordinary viewer.

I would like to start the analysis of the film with the plot and its historical accuracy. Target One is a political drama with thriller elements, based on a decade-long history of the US intelligence agencies' search for terrorist number one, Osama bin Laden. This is a very serious, complex and far from entertaining film. I myself saw this picture in English, and it is worth saying that it is filled with many special terms and well-established expressions. Therefore, watching this film is not easy enough: it requires constant attention and concentration. So I just warn you that 'Goal Number One' is not mass cinema, but serious work for a serious viewer.

If we talk about the plot itself, then it looks very believable, realistic, and the action taking place on the screen seems quite exciting. The ten-year search for bin Laden looks very progressive, we are shown step by step a long way from September 11, 2001 to May 2, 2011. I don't know how true this story is, but according to the opening line, all events are historically correct, and the characters, names, etc. are fiction. One way or another, the film captivates and keeps the viewer in suspense, despite the fact that the ending is already predetermined. The ending of the film looks especially juicy - the operation itself to capture and kill bin Laden. All the characters in the film are interesting, especially the main character - the determined Maya, a CIA employee. The plot is very good and provocative at the same time, however, as a viewer, I lacked a personal component, that is, a closer acquaintance with both the personalities of the terrorists and their opponents. The film seemed to me too dry, cold and rational, there is no place for living emotions in it, and it itself does not carry any special energy.

A few words about patriotism. In principle, Goal One is a highly controversial film in terms of patriotism. On the one hand, he is not patriotic, as the film shows the torture of prisoners suspected of having links with Al Qaeda. This fact caused a violent reaction from the American public, who accused the film of distorting historical reality and overshadowing such an important event in US history as the capture of bin Laden. However, on the other hand, the film has all the attributes of a patriotic cinema: fluttering flags, purposeful military faces, pretentious slogans and so on. Nevertheless, personally, all these paraphernalia did not interfere with me, all this patriotism is quite explainable and does not get on my nerves. But I won't be surprised if this purely American film will cause terrible annoyance to anyone else, since we Russians will never understand the patriotic feelings of Americans.

Directing. Katherine Bigelow has done a brilliant job. A woman director managed to make a strong, not at all feminine film on a serious political topic. The film is well constructed, Afghanistan and Iran are displayed very adequately, as well as the secret organizations of the United States. I'm just amazed that she was not nominated for an Oscar as a director (well, they did not nominate Ben Affleck, which should be surprising). However, I believe that despite the fact that 'Goal number one' was a success, Bigelow's previous film 'The Hurt Locker' looks more interesting, even though it does not have such specificity and connection to historical events. By the way, I want to note that I absolutely disagree with those who believe that Bigelow has found a 'gold mine' and is making films on one topic. This is not at all the case: the manner of shooting, theme, general style and purely visual design of the last two works of this director are completely different.

Actor's work. Jessica Chastain - for me this woman is more than just an actress. I sincerely admire her talent and acting skills. However, when I started watching 'Goal Number One', I did not immediately get it, for which all critics praise her role so much. But then with the development of the plot, I realized how strong her acting in this film is. She managed to create a strong image of a woman who has only one goal in her life. Jessica has done a very serious job, playing a seemingly absolutely non-emotional heroine. I was finally convinced by her most powerful monologue about the middle of the film, in which she fully reveals her character and the emotions she suppresses. Excellent work, absolutely deserved Golden Globes. I won't be surprised or upset if Jessica Chastain takes the Oscar in the Best Actress category, even though I'm rooting for Jennifer Lawrence. However, I would not almost be surprised if you do not see anything outstanding in Chastain's work. It just so happened that unemotional images seem mediocre to many, although this is not so. The rest of the actors are up to the mark, Mark Strong surprised not so much with his acting as with his luxurious head of hair, which is so unusual for him.

Technically, the film is perfect. Operator work and installation at the highest level. The musical accompaniment was not remembered, but it seemed very oppressive, pretentious and restrained, like the film itself.

TOTAL. Goal Number One is a good, straightforward American-American film. And the only question is whether you will be able to overcome skepticism and dislike of Americans, or not. If yes, then you should like the film, as it was made at the proper level. If not, then it is better then do not look, because the picture is not at all entertaining, and you will not get the proper pleasure from it. Personally, as a critic, I am completely satisfied and I simply have nothing to find fault with, but as a mass audience I have a number of complaints about this work, primarily for its extreme dryness. I will not underestimate the estimate, because I think that even without me there will be people who will do it with pleasure.