March 2010
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Green Zone (15)
Posted 25th March 2010


(Truly awesome 'tache!!!!)

Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) in Iraq searching for WMD. However, when each seizure of suspected weapon site yields nothing, he starts to ask questions where the government’s the intel is coming from.

The timely release of Green Zone adds extra resonance to Damon and Greengrass’s latest effort. As a country currently asking our leaders pertinent questions about the decision to go to war, Greengrass has managed to merge politics with all out action. Damon, once again shines as the go-to-guy for breakneck action, but it isn’t just a rehash of Bourne, that would be too easy. Damon’s Chief Miller’s is soldier determined to do his duty, not always morally right; cutting a deal with Saddam’s right hand man, rather than delivering righteous, murderous justice is something Bourne would never tolerate, and it is this integrity that separates Damon from his most well known character.

And once again, director and leading man are completely in tune, Damon and Greengrass are the action equivalent to Scorsese and DiCaprio, seemingly working as one organism, Greengrasses unrelenting direction never letting up on his leading man, the (now obligitory) handheld following his brutal and breathless journey.

The supporting cast seems wasted, Amy Ryan and Jason Issac’s in the unimaginative roles of intrepid reporter and classic bad guy, respectively, although Brenden Gleeson is once again one of the best things in the film as a CIA operative determined to use Miller to discover the truth.

The ending is a bit too ‘Americanised’, with Damon turning a bit shouty, and the political message becoming a too forced and moralistic, especially as it is directly after a relentless action sequence. However, overall, Green Zone leaves you feeling exhilarated and provokes more thought than you would expect from your standard actioner.

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