The film opens with emergency phone calls, and also personal phone calls that were made by people trapped in the twin towers of The World Trade Center on September 11th 2001. It is a haunting reminder of horror that occured on that day.
The film then documents a timeline which follows the journey taken by the CIA in the quest to bring an end to the reign of the Al Qaeda head.
Maya, a CIA operative starts the film with her being present during a questioning of a suspect. Some rather heavy handed tactics are used during the talks, something she is clearly uncomfortable with. But she stands in the background and watches, as they try to extract information that will bring them closer to their target.
There is a chain of command, and following that chain is a long and ardous task, one that takes commitment, and Maya has that in bucket loads, she conveys a sense of determination so strong, she will not stop til the job is done. Others before her have long since gone on to other jobs back in the US, but she stays in her post, and will hopefully see the job through to the end.
When the team get a major break through in their intelligence, it leads them to a physician who can hopefully lead them ever closer to their goal. In a truly memorable sequence, events unfold, though they clearly show how desperate the CIA were to obtain valid information, leading to an attack actually inside a US base in Afghanistan.
Although the powers that be are keen to have Bin Laden captured, they seem reluctant to trust in the intelligence that Maya provides them with. Had we not already known the result, one would wonder whether he might have evaded capture or his death.
Her resilience and determination prevail, and the team are led to Pakistan, and a compound, which is heavily fortified. Given the security involved within the compound, they believe that someone seriously is evading being seen, and believe that Bin Laden is hiding out there. A task force is sent from Afghanistan to raid the compound and hopefully bring an end to the decade long man hunt. The latter part of the film is the Compound attack, virtually done in real time. It is compelling, brilliantly shot, almost documentary style. The film does not end with some big morale message, it just quietly fades out.
There is a strong cast, ranging from James Gandolfini as a top CIA head to Jason Clarke as Dan a CIA operative who works closely with Maya in those first few years. There are also a lot of unknowns on screen, which for a film like is makes it more like a documentary, sometimes it is easy to relate to a character when it is well recognised face playing the role.
Got a major surprise when a well known face on UK television popped in the film, thankfully very briefly.
But at the end of the day, the film belongs to Jessica Chastain, who has become quite prolific of late thanks to roles in films like "The Help", "The Debt" and "Lawless". We follow the journey she takes in her lead role as Maya, from those early days, uncomfortable with the torture used to obtain information, to her feeling of helplessness following the Suicide bomb at the US base, to her grit and determination to confirm where Bin Laden is, and initiate an Operation to capture or kill him. The said journey takes it toll, and this we see reflected in a great piece of acting.
As one has come to expect, the Direction is of the highest calibre coming from the Oscar Winning Director Kathryn Bigelow. Her attention to detail, style of film making make her one of the most brightest talents behind the Camera of her generation.
Some my find it a long haul, others, hopefully like myself, will find it absorbing, and an example of great film making....the two and a half hours of viewing time just fly by.......9 out of 10
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