Perhaps the Iraq War is still too close in our memories, but Hollywood has yet to make a decent film about the conflict. Even the Hurt Locker deliberately ignored the politics to concentrate on the human side of the story. If anyone could pull it off, it would be Paul Greengrass, the director who made works about Bloody Sunday and September 11th cinematic, while maintaining the verisimilitude.
After the invasion of Iraq Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) is tasked with finding the Weapons of Mass Destruction, but after drawing several blanks, he begins to question the intelligence provided by the mysterious source who the Pentagon have locked away. Working with CIA man Brendon Gleeson he goes off reservation to try and discover the truth.
When news came out that, the script had been re-written and several scenes had been re-shot (normally a warning sign), it became clear that Greengrass was moulding his vision nicely. With Matt Damon on board, comparisons with the Bourne films are inescapable, except that here Miller has the crap beaten out of him by a man with a handlebar moustache in the first 20 minutes.
Without Bourne’s super human abilities to fall back on, Miller’s peril is intensified, especially as he upsets the plans of Pentagon pen pusher Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear). Damon excels as a little boy lost who slowly has his eyes opened. Sadly Amy Ryan is underused as the journalist questioning her own exclusives, as is Jason Isaacs – who despite his aforementioned’ tache – is given screen time but little dialogue to work with.
Where the film excels is that Greengrass understands it has to be cinematic, rather than simply conveying a message. He crafts a compelling thriller that, although lacking a huge twist, maintains the tension as characters must question their own culpability. From the press, to the government and even Miller himself, no-one gets off scot free.
The opulence of life inside the American controlled Green Zone is sharply contrasted with the plight of Iraqi citizens desperate for basic supplies. Khalid Abdalla is sensational as Freddy, playing the voice of the Iraqi people. Even as helps Miller, he admonishes him for thinking that his choice of a future leader is any better than the American favoured puppet.
The action has Greengrass’ trademark visceral edge and the last 20 minutes maintain a palpable sense of tension as the protagonists converge in a maze of Baghdad side streets. Entertaining and thought provoking, when was the last time you could say that about a movie?
