Dom Smith
Say what you will about the film as a representation, allegory or fabrication of real-life events, Zero Dark Thirty is a fantastic film. It's a political/intelligence/military procedural at its core; told from the viewpoint of a steadfast CIA agent Maya, the story unfolds with skilfully crafted tension and ever-present stakes. The film's climax - the infamous SEAL Team compound raid - strips away all of the Hollywood bravado we've come to expect of the US Military in a film and presents something that (at least in its presentation) feels authentic. From that, the ultimate feeling of Zero Dark Thirty is not one of fist-pumping success or even just relief, but rather a lingering and sobering reflection of the means, and the cost, to reach this end. I can't help but feel the political criticisms laid at this film can only be made by one who did not fully appreciate the journey that this story too, or worse, didn't even bother to watch the film. It's not often that a film is made so well that touches on evens so salient and so raw, and for that Zero Dark Thirty is a film that should not just be appreciated, but appreciated NOW.
Tn Smith
A nice exploration of the nature of terrorism and how governments directly escalate the threat through constant retaliation on terrorist groups. This film gives you the idea that if one side didnt retaliate to an attack then peace would eventually evolve instead of 1 uping each other in a constant back and forth with no end