Green Zone

My reviews as always, short, sweet, and spoiler-free.

I'm dancing around on this one between a 5 and 6. The film itself is pretty good and they get some things right. Really right, like how a lot of field graders and higher speak in a convoluted form of corporate buzz-word-speak. (Offline homework assignment: Part 1 - compare and contrast a briefing scene from Band of Brothers, with the Briefing in Green Zone. Part 2 - Begin to understand how powerpoint and a corporate mentality is un-assing the U.S. military... on second thought, I'd like a point paper and a powerpoint presentation about that. - Back to the review).

Like I was saying, they get a lot right. Even tactics are decent for a Hollywood film and not completely made up for what looks cool. About halfway through, this movie turns into complete fantasy and wish fulfillment. Still a good movie, but don't think for a second there's any basis in reality. Which is okay. Matt Damon is solid as always. Same with Amy Ryan. Greg Kinnear does a good job in a role that's not too typical for him. Also watch for Jason Isaacs with a big handlebar mustache (guess he had to have that so he didn't look too Black Hawk Down).

Anyway. Not too many problems with this film. Greengrass shakes the hell out of the camera just like the Bourne films, but I knew that going into it, so I didn't let it bother me. Ending is a bit too convenient and just doesn't fly. "Green Zone" plays around with facts and ignores others. The real story of what went down with the search for WMDs and the invasion of Iraq is a hell of a lot more convoluted than this and is pretty much for future historians to tell.

Green Zone is a good conspiracy flick, but it is fantasy, if you walk out thinking you know what went down, then I'll have to quote the CIA guy on this one, "Don't be naive."

Verdict: Go see this in the theaters. (ain't nothing else out...really)