A masterpiece destined to disappear. Like every month, Netflix must clean up its catalog to open up access to successful new releases, such as recently “War Machine” or the latest project from the creators of “Stranger Things”. This is how subscribers to the platform only have one and only evening left to (re)discover “Zero Dark Thirty”, the excellent thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow, released in 2012. In the wake of her Oscar for directing for “Minesweepers” in 2008, one of the rare Hollywood filmmakers have taken on another project that is closer to reality. She thus leaves the war in Iraq to relate the ten-year investigation which led to the capture of Osama Bin Laden on May 2, 2011 in Abbottabad. The story of this hunt is told from the point of view of the Americans, via the character of Maya, played by Jessica Chastain.
When reality becomes fiction
“Zero Dark Thirty” focuses on the journey of this young CIA analyst, sent to Pakistan within a unit specializing in the interrogation of jihadists. For ten years, she will participate in the clandestine hunt which will lead to the assault on the house in Peshawar where the leader of Al-Qaeda is hiding with his people. If the feature film is inspired by a true story, and the characters are taken from real individuals, it nonetheless remains an ultra impressive fiction film. A thesis defended by its screenwriters upon its release, while its subject was controversial. Some media accused him of glorifying torture, others, like Michael Moore (“Bowling for Columbine”, “Fahrenheit 9/11”) denounced an unfair trial.
“This is indeed a film, and to report on a manhunt that lasted 10 years in 2h30, you have to be efficient.“, testified Mark Boal, a former investigative journalist who wrote the synopsis. His documentation work was also recognized with an Oscar nomination for best screenplay, the fiction leaving with only one trophy from Los Angeles (for best sound) despite five citations.
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Announced success and controversy
In terms of box office, this thrilling production was widely acclaimed by critics. It gets 92% positive reviews on ‘Rotten Tomatoes“, an excellent score of 95/100 on “Metacritic” and a largely positive evaluation of 4.1/5 among our colleagues at“Allocinated”. “Zero Dark Thirty” also belongs to the list of the 10 best films of the year 2012 by the “New York Times” which depicts the film as “a milestone in the post-September 11 era in cinema”. All the critics praise the intensity and the near-documentary immersion into the daily life of this CIA agent brought to track down the planet’s number one enemy. Honors that can be boasted by Reda Kateb (“Django”, Song of the Wolf”), a French actor appearing in the cast alongside Jason Clarke (“Everest”), Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby”) and Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Jurassic World”).
