Jason versus Zero Dark Thirty

Warning: this review was written after a Scotch, two rum and Cokes, and four beer. That'll be all.

A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.

First off, despite the pairing of director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal, this sure as shit ain't no Hurt Locker. That's not to say it's crap, because it isn't. But it's too long and lacks the visceral kick of the writer/director's previous collaboration.

Does that mean it sucks? Fuck no. No movie with a special appearance by Scott Adkins and Area 51 can suck. Plus the last hour and 15 minutes, which highlights the final stalk and kill of bin Laden, is pure cinematic gold. But the hour and 30 minutes prior to that could use some trimming.

That said, this is still a decent bit of real world gritty reality. It features a bad-ass cast, featuring significantly awesome turns by Jason Clarke and Mark Strong. And it cemented my growing crush on Jessica Chastain. Not only can the gal act the pants off a Baldwin, but she never ceases to look sexy in every single shot in the movie.

Zero Dark Thirty isn't my typical end-of-the-week poison, but it's a decent watch. Although far from 100-per-cent successful, it's still bad ass enough. A Good. For shizzle.

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