SYNOPSIS:
The time: 2003. The place: Baghad. The mission: locate
weapons of Mass Destruction hidden by Saddam's regime. Chief
Miller leads an elite Army team searching for WMD's...instead
they uncover a deadly conspiracy of murder and deception reaching
all the way to the top.
As Miller hunts through convert and faulty intelligence that
either clears a rogue regime or escalates a war in an unstable
region, he discovers that no one can be trusted and the deadliest
enemies are those who claim to be on his side.
MOVIE REVIEW:
If truth is the first casualty of war, then nowhere is this more appropriate than in the Iraq War. On the premise that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the United States waged a war against the country to overthrow dictator Saddam Hussein. It was only later after Saddam was caught that the inevitable question arose- where exactly are those WMD that Iraq purportedly had?
Inspired by the non-fiction book “Imperial Life in the Emerald City” by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, “Green Zone” uses its source material to recreate, as authentically as it can, the climate of life in post-War Iraq amidst growing suspicions that there were no WMDs in the first place- or that the US never had a post-War plan. The green zone in the film’s title refers to the 10 square kilometer area in central Baghdad which was the centre of the Coalition Provisional Authority, an area of relative peace and security relative to the red zones outside the perimeter.
It is inside the green zone that director Paul Greengrass sets most of the politicking that happens in the movie between the administration- as represented by the Pentagon’s Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear)- and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). They disagree over how best to install democracy in a country so deeply divided by ethnic faultlines- the Shia, the Kurdish, the Kurds and other minorities- but also over the veracity of the WMD information that the Pentagon had pushed back to justify its presence in the war.
Outside the green zone is where most of the action takes place, as Matt Damon’s Chief Miller races against time to find the covert source Magellan before Jason Isaacs’ Briggs does for more sinister reasons. Miller’s on the side of the CIA, whereas Briggs and his Special Ops forces are directed by the Pentagon. These overt power plays provide an excuse for Greengrass to take the action-movie aesthetics (of the Bourne trilogy (i.e. handheld cinematography and staccato editing) and transplant them to an entirely different setting.
While this may seem derivative, it actually does a pretty effective job of thrusting the audience right into the heart of the action, while keeping a tight taut pace throughout the film. Greengrass has also brought his Bourne leading man Matt Damon for the ride, and Damon proves once again that he is just about one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, disappearing effortlessly into a role which seems tailored for his understated performance.
But if the Bourne movies were escapist entertainment, “Green Zone” is a movie that revels in its relevancy. It boldly questions the intentions of the US in invading Iraq while chastising the press (through journalist Lawrie Dayne, played by Amy Ryan) for devouring the Pentagon-fed propaganda lock stock and barrel before the invasion. It is also enlightening in its portrayal of the divisions that the US can probably never be able to bridge in the near future, especially telling in light of the US’ efforts to withdraw within the next few years.
Credit goes to writer Brian Helgeland, who has managed to adapt real-life into the pseudo-reality conspiracy thriller of “Green Zone”. And once again, director Paul Greengrass has proven that he is one of the shrewd filmmakers around, avoiding the clunky execution of recent Iraq War movies to deliver a Bourne-style Iraq War movie with rich political subtext. Few movies are as adrenaline-pumping as “Green Zone” and even rarer is the action movie which actually has something important to say. Because it is both, it is also one of the year’s best and a must-see if you haven’t.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
Top on the list of extras is the feature commentary by director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon. Greengrass and Damon provide an insightful look at the inspiration of the film (especially with regards to any references to real-life characters and places in the Iraq War), as well as the shooting process Greengrass employed to give the film an authentic and realistic feel.
There are also 4 “Deleted Scenes” with optional commentary by Greengrass and Damon. In particular, two of them- one at Mukhabarat Headquarters where Damon’s Chief Miller confronts Kinnear’s Poundstone and another at Hamza’s house where Miller returns his body to his family- actually add further nuance to the film itself. Greengrass’ commentary explains why these were excised from the final cut and demonstrates his confident directorial control.
Two other behind-the-scenes extras round up the disc. “Matt Damon- Ready for Action” is an interesting look at the dynamics between Damon and the real Iraq War soldiers who played the members in his unit. Lastly, “Inside the Green Zone” gives an up-close demonstration of Greengrass’ directing style on the set of the film, especially with orchestrating the chaos on set to make it look realistic on camera
.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
AThis is one movie that you’ll fully enjoy with the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio on this Code 3 DVD. Immersive and involving by putting the back speakers to good use, it brings you into the thick of the excitement with the explosions, gunfire and street battles. Visual transfer is also excellent, though night scenes appear grainy because of Greengrass’ aesthetic choice for the film.
MOVIE RATING :
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Gabriel Chong
Posted
on 19 August 2010 |
