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- What Happens in Zero Dark Thirty?
- Where Did The Film Fail?
- Films Similar to Zero Dark Thirty
As a movie buff who’s seen more films than I can count, I must say that Kathryn Bigelow’s masterpiece, Zero Dark Thirty, is a captivating political thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat. However, as someone who values historical accuracy, I found it a tad disappointing to learn that this film doesn’t always stick to the facts.
11 years post the September 11 attacks, and seven months after the demise of Osama bin Laden, this political thriller failed to authentically portray the incidents it intended to depict. However, against all odds, the movie garnered critical acclaim, securing a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it onto 95 top-ten lists of critics for that year, and bagging one out of five Academy Awards it was nominated for.
Under the guidance of Kathryn Bigelow, the film titled “Zero Dark Thirty” presents a dramatic rendition of the intense decade-long pursuit of the Al-Qaeda leader who was a terrorist mastermind. Now available on Hulu, watching “Zero Dark Thirty” is an engaging experience; however, it’s essential to note that, contrary to popular belief, this movie does not accurately portray real events as some viewers might assume.
Ever since its premiere, the movie has faced ongoing criticism for its depiction of historical events. Much like other films based on history, it carries a significant amount of truth but also incorporates an expected level of dramatization to enhance enjoyment. Common criticisms include distorted portrayals of torture, misrepresentation of real individuals in the film, and biased representations of certain nations. Consequently, this has resulted in some unfavorable reviews.
What Happens in Zero Dark Thirty?
To fully grasp how much the narrative in “Zero Dark Thirty” deviates from reality, it’s essential to follow the movie’s storyline. The journey begins in 2003, where I, as a CIA agent, find myself posted at the U.S. embassy in Pakistan, assigned with the mission of tracking down Osama bin Laden. In the initial scenes, we meet Maya, portrayed by Jessica Chastain, who has been on this task for quite some time. These early sequences offer glimpses into dramatized representations of real-life characters connected to al-Qaeda, like Abu Faraj al-Libbi.
2009 finds me delving into the depiction of the Camp Chapman attack, one of the darkest episodes in CIA history for personnel. The movie then unfolds around a lead concerning bin Laden’s suspected courier, Abu Ahmen al-Kuwaiti. Initially believed to have perished in 2001 under the alias Ibrahim Sayeed, we learn that he was actually alive. This revelation led to the barter of information, enabling the CIA to pinpoint and trace a specific phone number.
Initially, the suspected compound believed to belong to Maya was subjected to CIA monitoring, yet no definitive proof of bin Laden’s presence emerged. Regardless, the CIA director convened a meeting with top-tier officers who calculated a probability of around 60-80% that bin Laden might be there. Despite Maya maintaining a firm belief of 100%, this led to the raid on May 2, 2011, which resulted in the compound being stormed, causing several casualties including bin Laden’s death.
Where Did The Film Fail?
Despite the fact that the movie “Zero Dark Thirty” garnered positive reviews and high earnings, its reputation has been tarnished due to historical inaccuracies and debates. These inaccuracies suggest that the film may not be as truthful a portrayal of the real events as some viewers believe.
Initially, it has been stated by the ex-Assistant Secretary of Defense that the depiction of torture in the movie Zero Dark Thirty was exaggerated and presented in an overly favorable manner. Moreover, he pointed out the underrepresentation of the significant role played by the Obama administration during this period. In contrast to the film, Obama’s dedication to finding the manhunt target was barely mentioned in Zero Dark Thirty, despite his long-standing commitment to this pursuit from his 2007 campaign through his presidency. This determination provided the CIA with a broad scope for their operations, which was unfortunately not depicted in the film.
A less glaring example that limits the truth behind the film is how Pakistan was represented. Both the country and nationals from Pakistan received quite a stereotypical portrayal. For example, Pakistani people can be heard speaking Arabic and not Urdu, or other regional dialects, with local people wearing outdated headgear. This helped to distract from the historical importance of Pakistan within the wider context and the effects the country and its population faced.
As a movie critic, I must admit that it’s common knowledge that films based on historical events often don’t adhere strictly to the facts. In the case of “Zero Dark Thirty,” I believe the depiction of the events leading to bin Laden’s death is more influenced by the recent timing of the event and the film’s release rather than a diligent pursuit of historical accuracy. However, these criticisms barely made a dent in the overwhelmingly positive critical reception upon its premiere, and even in the subsequent period.
Films Similar to Zero Dark Thirty
During the time when “Zero Dark Thirty” was unveiled, its popular appeal, particularly in the U.S., was significantly boosted by the prevailing contemporary mood. For enthusiasts of this film or the genre, there’s a fair amount of other movies that share a similar political thriller vibe. A clear choice among these would be “Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden“. Unlike “Zero Dark Thirty,” this movie focuses more on the raid at Abbottabad that led to bin Laden’s death, serving as a narrative account of that historic event.
“Toa Fraser’s 2017 thriller, ‘6 Days’, portraying the Iranian Embassy Siege in 1980. This movie intertwines real events with fictional dramatization, focusing on three distinct viewpoints – the negotiator, the SAS commander, and a news correspondent. For viewers more inclined towards films similar to the 9/11 events, ’12 Strong’ could be a suitable choice. Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, it narrates the story of the U.S. Army Special Forces dispatched to Afghanistan post-9/11 attacks and concludes with the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif within a couple of months.”
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2024-08-11 00:01