[The calmness of the image and the distortion of the story]

Marcus 2022-04-19 09:01:26

Like "The Hurt Locker", it is straightforward, still in a documentary style, restrained but still unable to escape American heroism.

This kind of subject matter will be more sensitive to the people in the United States and even the whole world. The world-wide issue of terrorist attacks, how bin Laden, the number one man who controls the world-class terrorist attack network, how he was locked down, and what happened in the last 10 minutes, must all make this film fascinating. immediate cause of concern.

But no matter how it says that it is first-hand information, I can only believe that this is a "partial fact", the distortion is certain, just like "Assassination of Kennedy", since this kind of film cannot guarantee its complete restoration of history, What kind of mentality should be used to accept the content of such a very serious movie... Maybe it is only up to the fans to make their own choices, and this choice may directly lead to thinking about the meaning of the film's existence...
Should we just treat it as a "partial fact", or should we allow creators to be reluctantly not serious while believing in their motives?

I mentioned the restraint of the film earlier. On the one hand, this restraint is reflected in the way of narration. The story is simply told according to the timeline, so simple that there is not even a single flashback scene, and all the narrative skills are removed, and the documentary line is actually taken. On the other hand, this restraint is also reflected in the control of the film's emotions. There is no lyricism, no discussion or even reflection. There are only Catherine Bigelow's calm images and an attitude of trying to tell the truth.

The final climax is of course the "Hunting Bin Laden" operation, which is a complete display of nearly 30 minutes. The story has come here, but the image is still calm, and the perspective is all handed over to the US military. As the action unfolds in depth, the audience is unified in the mind of the tension and mystery under this calm picture and the US military raiding, which in turn produces a strong sense of substitution and presence.

At the end of the final action, bin Laden did not show his true face until his death. This is a harmony that must be carried out in American movies. When the operation was over, the model worker dazedly opened the body bag, confirmed bin Laden's identity, and then dazedly set foot on the exclusive plane that left the base. Since high school, I have worked hard for 12 years, only for the goal of bin Laden. Now that I have achieved my goal, I am relieved, but I must be full of emptiness, so there will be the last line of tears of the model worker, and the moving emotions that tears bring to the audience.

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Extended Reading

Zero Dark Thirty quotes

  • Dan: He's being a dick.

    Joseph Bradley: He's trying to outsmart you. Why don't you tell him about your Ph.D?

  • Dan: State your request.

    Maya: Move Heaven and Earth and bring me this fuckng Sayeed's family phone number.

    Dan: Okay, I'll go and talk to "The Wolf."