Zero Dark Thirty: Short and Sweet

Back in 2009, Kathryn Bigelow shocked Hollywood and rocked audiences with The Hurt Locker, earning both the Best Director and Best Picture Academy Award with a grounded and in-depth look at the U.S. Military, and with Zero Dark Thirty, it looked like the similar formula was going to earn just as much acclaim.  Admittedly, the subject matter was going to be far more controversial this time around, given all the emotional volatility and conspiracy theories associated with September 11^th, its aftermath, and the War on Terror that culminated in the death of Osama bin Laden.  In fact, significant criticism arose over the depictions of torture and the conveyance of classified materials within the narrative, raising questions of exactly how Bigelow and her team accessed some of the source material; so, regardless of quality, potential audiences would likely be split over the sensitive subject matter.  Lack of mass marketability aside, by all accounts Bigelow had struck gold again, garnering five Academy Award and four Golden Globe Award nominations, along with the classification of this newest war drama as one of the best films of the year.  With a gritty trailer, a superb cast, and my own conviction to see as many Best Picture nominees as possible, I was not going to miss Zero Dark Thirty.

Tense, gripping, and anchored by both superb acting and masterful direction, Zero Dark Thirty is easily one of the strongest cinematic experiences in years.  First off, I have been surprised by Jessica Chastain’s talent during her short time in the spotlight, but she took things to an entirely new level this time around; the intensity and obsession she conveyed during the search for terrorists makes her a frontrunner alongside Jennifer Lawrence for the Best Actress Oscar.  Second, Kathryn Bigelow’s nomination snub is now all the more insulting, because her work was brilliant; the abject fear associated with suicide bombings, the desperation of the search…all of if keeps you glued to the screen.  Though, as much as I would love to declare the film perfect, things do tend to run a little long and the inherent momentum does tend to fall flat in the final act, so the discrepancy is apparent.  Still, as an insight into the events that have defined the past decade, Zero Dark Thirty remains a remarkably strong film that solidifies the talent of all those involved.

Overall Recommendation: High

Zero Dark Thirty: Full Review

Zero Dark Thirty - (December 19, 2012 – Limited; January 11, 2013 - Wide): R

Distributor: Sony Pictures/Columbia Pictures

                                      

Opening Weekend Box Office (Wide): #1 with $24,438,936

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $71,842,079

Gross Revenue: $79,542,079

Production Budget: $40 million

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

 
With the tremendous critical and commercial success of The Hurt Locker, studio executives had to be salivating when it was first announced that Kathryn Bigelow would reunite with screenwriter Mark Boal to revisit the United States Military in Zero Dark Thirty.  An added bonus included the fact that where the 2009 Best Picture Oscar winner flew into theaters largely under the radar and starred a then-largely-unknown Jeremy Renner, Bigelow’s newest project featured the increasingly popular Jessica Chastain and was a significant focus of media attention leading up to its release.  In Hollywood, many agree that there is “no such thing as bad publicity,” and given the controversial subject matter and allegations of improper access of classified materials, the Distribution department at Sony Pictures Entertainment had to pray that the saying was going to hold true.  Regardless of personal politics related to the actual hunt and capture of Osama bin Laden, even the staunchest of conspiracy theorists had to acknowledge that the edgy trailer and the pedigree of those involved virtually guaranteed a strong film.  With five Academy Awards nominations and near-universal acclaim, Zero Dark Thirty was not a film to be missed, and at the very least, curiosity had to help fill theaters with those who respected the guts it took to tackle such a volatile subject.

Opening in 2003 during the prime post-9/11 hunt for al-Qaeda, Zero Dark Thirty follows young CIA officer Maya (Jessica Chastain) as she focuses exclusively on intelligence related to Osama bin Laden while she is stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan.  Regularly engaging in brutal interrogations alongside fellow officers Dan (Jason Clarke) and Jessica (Jennifer Ehle), Maya eventually identifies a detainee acquaintance known as “Abu Ahmed,” who is believed to be the personal courier for bin Laden; over the following years, Maya fixates exclusively on locating Ahmed.  In the wake of increasingly violent terrorist bombings that claim the lives of several fellow agents, Maya’s resolve only increases, drawing the ire of CIA Islamabad Station Chief, Joseph Bradley (Kyle Chandler), who, along with a number of senior officials, believes that the courier lead is nothing more than a dead end.  Using bribery, tradecraft analysis, and phone surveillance, Maya eventually locates Ahmed and tracks him to a large suburban compound in Pakistan, which she believes serves as a safe house for bin Laden.  Boldly sticking to her assertion in spite of bureaucratic resistance, Maya eventually earns the blessing of Langley decision makers, and a raid is approved for a U.S. Navy SEAL team led by the optimistic Squadron Team Leader, Patrick (Joel Edgerton), to breach the compound, locate bin Laden, vindicate years of work, and hopefully bring an end to the greatest manhunt in history.

Regardless of a less-than-smooth pre-release period, Kathryn Bigelow has struck gold yet again with Zero Dark Thirty, delivering an edgy an nail-biting drama that is anchored with strong writing, brilliant direction, and absolutely stellar acting.  In light of the overall quality of this film, Kathryn Bigelow’s snub for a Best Director Oscar nomination is downright baffling, as she injected this story with genuine tension, intensity, and pathos, all of which keep the audience fully engrossed…the best example has to do with the terrorist bombing scenes, as they are downright uncomfortable to watch, thereby emphasizing the danger and gravity of such perilous situations.  And, in terms of acting, Jessica Chastain is downright mesmerizing…she was impressive in The Help and The Debt, but this time around, she trades-in the innocent sweetness for a gritty and blunt determination that I didn’t know she possessed; talk about playing against type and demonstrating a wonderful acting range.  Her frustration and obsession in finding bin Laden combines with Bigelow’s pacing to fully immerse the audience in the hunt, almost creating a mob mentality of patriotism that will keep you truly amped once Seal Team Six descends on the stronghold in Pakistan.  And yet, for all the positives inherent in the acting and direction of Zero Dark Thirty, a few small missteps weaken overall chances for the Best Picture accolade, while a few controversial showcases still hinder overall mass appeal.

Because I enjoyed the build-up of the hunt within Zero Dark Thirty so much, one can imagine my level of disappointment with the squandered momentum of the film’s final act, which, when combined with certain politically incorrect elements, clashes significantly with overall expectations.  Make no mistake, if you thought The Hurt Locker painted a somewhat controversial viewpoint of wartime mentality, Zero Dark Thirty does anything but present a reputable account of tactics used by the CIA… the torture scenes are downright uncomfortable to watch, and I can see overly-PC audience members upset by the depiction.  Granted, anyone who would be overly upset by such a volatile film likely wouldn’t be in the theater in the first place, but I still feel that a warning should be levied for those who are expecting an abashedly pro-American, feel-good account of events.  And, for as exciting as the final minutes should have been during the final raid executed by the Navy SEALS, the scene felt significantly out-of-place in relation to the rest of the film’s intensity; whether that was a function of the long running time remains to be seen, but you will notice the marked shift in energy.  In the end, the film may not be perfect, but Zero Dark Thirty still remains a ridiculously strong historical drama that showcases top talent and serves as a deep commentary of events that have impacted everyone’s history, regardless of political orientation.

In terms of box office performance, Zero Dark Thirty entered the fold with an extremely limited release that resulted in a truly outstanding per-theater average, thereby setting expectations high for the financial performance for future expanded engagements, even if foreign receipts were all but guaranteed to be minimal.  To be fair, a first place opening under $25 million may not sound all that impressive to those unfamiliar with the imperfect science of ticket sales, but for a mid-January release with a modest $40 million budget, that is more than enough to placate studio accountants.  And let’s not forget the boost in mass interest as Oscar Night draws nearer, not to mention home media sales should the wartime thriller earn the best accolade of the evening…hell, I know people going to see this film solely to spite The Academy for their snub of Kathryn Bigelow.  At the very least, as much as I want to see Jennifer Lawrence take home the Best Actress Oscar, I am glad that Jessica Chastain is definitely going to make Lawrence fight for the honor.  Controversial and thrilling, if slightly imperfect, Zero Dark Thirty is more than deserving of the attention of the mass public, so regardless of hesitancy related to the subject matter, it would still be worth your time to give the film a chance.         

Overall Recommendation: High

Gangster Squad: Short and Sweet

The crime drama is undoubtedly one of my favorite genres, but where heist capers have been a prevalent presence in recent years, the subgenre of the mob film has been noticeably scarce.  2009’s Public Enemies and 2012’s Lawless certainly had potential, but neither lived up to their respective critical and financial expectations…it looked like the glory days of The Godfather, Goodfellas, and Casino were going to continue on as nothing more than a distant memory.  But then, the trailer for Gangster Squad hit, and between the brutal concept, the all-star cast, and the featured presence of my future wife, I could not wait to see the gritty story that would be presented to audiences.  Unfortunately, in the wake of the Aurora shooting, Warner Bros. had to pull scenes from the trailer and the final prints, resulting in a delayed release so the cast could reconvene for the filming of new scenes; so moviegoers would have to wait a few more months.  As the first of a number of high-profile January releases, Gangster Squad looked like the perfect popcorn flick to charm audiences and to help rebalance the box office after so many Awards-heavy releases over the holidays. 

Fun and undeniably entertaining, Gangster Squad offers enough brutal violence and cops-versus-robbers dynamics to keep moviegoer attention, but beyond those metrics, other weaknesses prevail.  Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling are definitely capable as no-holds-barred heroes, and their squad of supporting characters feature many familiar faces, but the paper-thin personalities offer little, if any, individual character development.  The underuse of Emma Stone was disappointing, but one of the biggest mistakes had to be the disparity between Sean Penn’s strong performance as a feared mob kingpin, and his laughably bad makeup.  And if you consider yourself a regular connoisseur of the mob film subgenre, it isn’t too difficult to pick-out the overly familiar and convenient plot points that keep energy low and showcase the screenwriters really didn’t take much of a risk with this script.  Still, beyond some of the more glaring inconsistencies, Gangster Squad still remains an attention-grabber and nostalgic throwback that can remain rewarding for fans of the cast and the subject material.

Overall Recommendation: Medium

Gangster Squad: Full Review

Gangster Squad - (January 11, 2013): R

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

                                      

Opening Weekend Box Office: #3 with $17,070,347

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $33,415,000

Gross Revenue: $52,415,000

Production Budget: $60 million

Director: Ruben Fleischer

 

The gangster film has proven an immensely popular subgenre in the past, but the main factor that spelled potential for Gangster Squad had to be the crowd-pleaser cast, whether that included young A-listers like Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, or more seasoned veterans like Josh Brolin and Sean Penn.  In terms of directorial responsibilities, it was a little strange to see Ruben Fleischer helming a serious crime drama, as his last film credits included Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less, but such an unusual choice inspired curiosity rather than skepticism.  Though initially slated as a September release, Warner Bros. was forced into some serious damage control in the wake of the 2012 Aurora shooting, as a key scene from the film featured the main characters attacking gangsters by firing submachine guns through the screen into a movie theater audience.  That isn’t the kind of association that anyone wants, so you have to give the studio credit for not only removing the scene from trailers, but also cutting the sequence from the film entirely and reconvening the cast for some reshoots…sure, audiences had to now wait until January, but the new retooled trailer looked just as enticing as the original.  With Academy favorites like Zero Dark Thirty and Silver Linings Playbook vying for audience attention, Gangster Squad wasn’t likely to earn any last-minute awards nominations, but in no way was that going to make the final product any less entertaining.

Set in post-WWII Los Angeles, Gangster Squad introduces audiences to Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn), a ruthless gangster who serves as the most powerful figure in the California criminal underworld; controlling criminals, the courts, and the police through intimidation, bribery, and murder.  In an attempt to stop Cohen’s stranglehold on the city, LAPD Chief Bill Parker (Nick Nolte) creates a secret police unit granted special jurisdiction to take down Cohen’s operations, putting Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) in charge of leading and recruiting additional members to the squad.  Bringing together Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), detectives Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie), Conway Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), Navidad Ramirez (Michael Peña), and Max Kennard (Robert Patrick), “the Gangster Squad” is formed and begins destroying Cohen’s wire gambling business.  Adding insult to injury, Wooters also begins a relationship with Cohen’s girlfriend and social etiquette teacher, Grace Faraday (Emma Stone), gaining valuable information about Cohen’s operations while also working to help Faraday escape Cohen’s influence.  Eventually realizing that a police squad is responsible for all his recent misfortunes, Cohen declares war on “the Gangster Squad,” putting all the officers and their families in immense danger and leading to inevitable bloody conflict.

In focusing on a gangster of Mickey Cohen’s notoriety, one would expect a fair amount of violence within this look at the criminal underworld, and thankfully, Gangster Squad more than delivers with brutal and bloody vigilante justice.  Don’t get me wrong, Sean Penn is pretty intimidating as a mob boss and is definitely someone you would not want to cross, but Josh Brolin is the biggest badass onscreen, and neither he nor Ryan Gosling shows any qualms about brutally beating or executing criminals that have been deemed guilty.  Add to the equation some gripping car chases, bloody brawls, and a truly awesome lobby shootout, and Gangster Squad has plenty of action to keep audiences focused on and truly invested in the operations of our heroes.  And, in speaking of our titular heroes, the squad themselves are some instantaneously likable individuals; they may benefit largely from the inherent star power of their respective actors, but it is still entertaining to watch this particular team work together in the enjoyably nostalgic environment.  Sadly though, once you look beyond the novelty of the violence and this particular set of actors, there is a disappointing lack of energy and originality that severely weakens Gangster Squad’s overall quality.

For as many high-caliber names as are present in Gangster Squad, I would have expected far more memorable performances, but instead of this disappointment resulting from weak acting, it seems that several missteps from a number of filmmaking components are to blame for squandering the talent involved.  Like I hinted at earlier in the “Short and Sweet” review, Sean Penn was actually pretty compelling in his portrayal of a villain, but any fear you might associate with him is instantly forgotten once you take the time to focus on his makeup…I understand that his face is supposed to be beat up since his character is a former boxer, but the man looked ridiculous.  Even Emma Stone, with whom I can normally find no wrong, feels out of place in her role; she has built her career as an independent and sassy actress, so the personality we all associate with her just doesn’t fit a damsel-in-distress.  And, for as enjoyable as it was to watch the “Gangster Squad” working together, I really wish that the script had left some room for individual character development, as there was significant potential in what made Josh Brolin so determined or Ryan Gosling so apathetic; but, nope, there was zero chance of any of these characters becoming deeper than run-of-the mill gunslingers.  So, suffice it to say that between the script, the casting, and the makeup, it was disappointing to see so many components suck the energy and quality out of what should have been a brilliant thriller.

Despite the pedigree of those involved and the inherent momentum of a star-studded crime drama, no one really expected Gangster Squad to outshine the highly-anticipated wide release of the controversial Best Picture contender, Zero Dark Thirty.  In fact, the real surprise had to do with a $17 million weekend receipt failing to outperform a Wayans’ Bros. spoof comedy that had been thoroughly crucified by critics.  True, critics weren’t exactly giddy over Gangster Squad (and rightfully so), but the film was still entertaining and deserves to be placed above A Haunted House…maybe the association with the Aurora shooting resonated too strongly with audiences and many just opted for the cheap laugh.  Luckily, between domestic and international receipts, Gangster Squad isn’t too far off from recovering its production budget; but with so many new releases like Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Movie 43, and Parker, opening soon, runaway financial success isn’t likely.  In the end, if you are looking for some mindless violence and some cinematic fun, Gangster Squad isn’t a bad bet…just don’t be looking forward to anything too deep.  

Overall Recommendation: Medium