Zero Dark Thirty.  The story of the United States’ decade long mission after 9/11 to locate and hunt down “Geronimo” – Code name for UBL – Code name for Usama bin Laden – Code name for Osama bin Laden.

Zero Dark Thirty  – Military term for 30 minutes after midnight.

I spent the first quarter of the movie, slightly distracted, trying to figure out how long I would last if I was taken hostage and tortured.

It was when the waterboarding began that I realized… Not very long, my friends.  I became really disappointed in myself.  I had this sick feeling in my stomach like I let my country down in my make believe scenario.  But it did give me a HUGE appreciation and feeling of GRATITUDE for the United States Armed Forces.  Thank you for your SACRIFICES and BRAVERY.  Thank you for keeping us SAFE.  Thank you for our FREEDOM in the homeland.

I then spent the second quarter of the movie trying to talk myself into liking it.

I really wanted to like it.  The movie took place over the course of the 10 years that it took to find He Who Shall Not Be Named (I am kinda scared about talking about him on my blog).  It was hard to grasp the timeline and grasp how many years had past, as they transitioned from plot point to plot point.  The date was posted at every transition, but I think the number of years that had past would have been more helpful.  Furthermore, I felt like we could have instead been “briefed” on the years leading up to the discovery UBL’s compound in a more efficient manner, giving more time to tell the interesting part of the story… the days leading up to the discovery of the compound and then to the actual operation!

I also would have loved to have learned more about Maya, Jessica Chastain’s character.  There was a scene that revealed that Maya was recruited out of high school…high school… to join the CIA.  I would have loved to have known more about that!  She was the brains and the balls behind finding Geronimo.  What was it about her that she of all the people in the CIA ended up being the “motherf*cker who found this place” (quoted from the movie).  Instead, there was a scene where Maya walks into her apartment in a full black burqa, takes off the veil, sits down in front of the tv, opens a can of something and then eats a yellow twizzler.  That’s it.  That’s all that happened.  Randomly in the middle of everything.  That tells me nothing about her!

BUT THEN THE SECOND HALF… WAS WHERE ALL THE MAGIC HAPPENED.  

(Kathryn Bigelow must’ve had an AWESOME halftime speech.)

In the second half, we get to see the final countdown to the UBL Bat Cave Invasion.  The CIA put the cave under heavy surveillance for months.  They were unable to collect hard evidence that the most wanted man in the world is actually inside, so they couldn’t justify action.  Days and days and days go by… TENSION IS BUILDING and you just CAN’T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION.  HE COULD BE RIGHT THERE.  RIGHT UNDER THEIR NOSES.

Finally, they get the go ahead.  The mission is on.  They have these Bad Ass Army helo pilots drop off these even more Bad Ass Navy Seals at Osama’s.  Loved these guys!

The scene and raid was so perfectly choreographed and executed.  It was like you were watching the ballet.  The way they worked as a team was so inspiring to watch.  They had each others’ backs and work together to achieve something that for 10 years the world thought would be impossible… and were successful.

I have so much respect and appreciation for the production of this movie.  It was definitely not a walk in the park to film this type of movie.  (Wasn’t a fun, light hearted romantic comedy.)  So, CHEERS to the cast and crew!!  And CHEERS to the real life CIA team, Navy SEAL Team Six and to the United States Armed Forces.

Oscar Nominations:

Best Picture – Best Actress, Jessica Chastain – Best Original Screenplay – Film Editing – Best Sound Editing

RATING : B+

Did you see Zero Dark Thirty?  What did you think?

*Photo Credit 1 2 3 4*