Bourne heads for Iraq…
Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Jason Isaacs, Brendan Glesson & Amy Ryan
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Screenplay by: Brian Helgeland
Plot:
Sergeant Miller (Damon) is posted to Iraq to assist in justifying the war by finding Weapons Of Mass Destruction. After several failed attempts at finding any kind of evidence of the weapons, Miller starts to ask tricky questions and before he knows it, his own people are out to get him.
Verdict:
Director Paul Greengrass is now a seasoned pro at delivering an action blockbuster that is as exciting as it is intelligent. Sticking with his Bourne leading man, Matt Damon, Greengrass delves into the Iraq war. More specifically, the murky issue of Weapons Of Mass Destruction.
Damon’s Sergeant Roy Miller sure resembles Jason Bourne but how could he not, he’s as tough and able and keeps asking questions, of course though this time he is asking the question we were all asking after the invasion; where are they?
Just last year, The Hurt Locker managed to do some proper cinematic justice to the men fighting for their country in the Iraq conflict, and now Green Zone emerges as the first picture to successfully use the war as a template for an exciting and enthralling action blockbuster with plenty of substance too.
The political subtext is just that, with Greengrass making sure the political side of things are kept in the background and keeping the intense action in the foreground allowing the pace to never let up.
A couple of characters are wasted along the way, sadly including The Wire’s Amy Ryan as a determined journalist. But there are meatier roles for Brits Brendan Gleason and Jason Isaacs and the duo both deliver, especially Isaacs, clearly relishing his tough-as-nails army Sergeant.
There are no easy answers here, including the climax that offers no real closure to proceedings but of course that just neatly mirrors the reality of the Iraq war, which is still far from over.
good relfection on the war and its aspects
good simple analysis of the characters
perhaps add another aspect of the film making to it such as camera work or sound effects seeing as alot of it is used in this film,
but overal good review :)
Thanks man, i appreciate your comment, the camerawork did indeed play a part in this film but it wasn’t nothing we haven’t seen before, but all the same thanks for mentioning it.
xD
I generally agree, a solid if not great action thriller which maybe let me down because of Greengrass’s amazing body of work which this one isn’t quite certainly not “United 93”. But it was refreshing to find an action film that wasn’t just brainless popcorn fare. And in trying to reach a mass audience with an important message its quite admirable. Nice review.
Thanks for the comment Rbatty2, yeah Paul Greengrass has a brilliant body of work, you mentioned ‘United 93’, which is without doubt one of my favourite films from the past ten years, it’s just incredible.
Indeed “United 93” is one of the best films I’ve seen period, truly I think one of the first classics of the new century. Do see “Omagh” if you haven’t, a 04 film Greengrass cowrote and produced, but not directed, you’d swear he did. About the 1998 IRA bombing in Omagh and the political aftermath. It should be better know that it is.
Thanks for the tip, i will look out for that one!