Green Zone

Director Paul Greengrass is famous for using an "in your face" hand-held camera style in a lot of his films. He used it to good effect in films such as The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, and especially in 2006's underrated United 93. It gives his films a pseudo-documentary feel, placing you in the middle of the action. It's ideal that he should use this style in Green Zone, an effective action thriller that expertly blends fact with fiction, and puts us right in the middle of it all.

The film is inspired by Imperial Life in the Emerald City, an expose on the US occupation of Iraq, and the existence (or the lack thereof) of the WMDs that were supposed to be such a vital threat. Rather than be a straight forward telling of the actual events, Greengrass and screenwriter Brian Helgeland have instead opted to give us a fictional story based on events that happened in 2003, as the US military began its movement into Iraq. It's easy to see that some of the characters in the film are based on actual figures in the event, and the roles that they played. But Green Zone wisely does not get mired in finger pointing or conspiracy theories. This is intended as a high-octane action thriller, and at this, it succeeds. The movie gives us plenty to think about, while at the same time delivers enough thrills and action. The film could have used a few more personal touches or characters we could really feel for, but you won't find me complaining too much here.

As the film opens, Chief military officer, Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is beginning to get frustrated with the intelligence he is receiving about the WMDs his men and him are supposed to be seeking out. Every place they have searched has ended up being empty and long-abandoned. He brings up his concerns to his superiors during a meeting, only to be shouted down. The information and intelligence supposedly comes from a mysterious source known only as "Magellan", and is defended both by his superiors and by Bureaucrat Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear). Just as Roy is about to continue with his mission, he is approached by a CIA operative named Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson), who shares Roy's concerns. Meanwhile, an Iraqi who calls himself "Freddy" (Khalid Abdalla) comes to Miller's unit with information on General Al Rawi (Igal Naor), a former member of the Iraq military that may have information about the WMDs. As Roy and his men hunt down Al Rawi and search for the truth, Roy finds that everyone he works for seem to be working on their own side. His main ally in the search for the truth seems to be an on-field reporter (Amy Ryan) who has plenty of questions of her own.

It's a simple but effective conspiracy thriller formula that places an honest man in the middle of a situation where everyone seems to be looking out for themselves, and he finds himself uncertain of who or what to trust. What makes Green Zone stand out is that it adds a few shades of gray in its characters. We know that characters like Poundstone are not entirely to be trusted, but he has an agenda, as does everyone else. Everyone thinks they are doing the right thing. The movie also keeps a high level of energy throughout. It grabs our attention right away with an expertly filmed action sequence concerning Roy and his unit battling a sniper as they try to make their way to a location they've been ordered to investigate. Between the action-heavy sequences, there's enough backstabbing and shady dealings to keep us involved. We never get the time to get emotionally involved with the characters, except for one, but we are never bored, because the things they're talking or arguing about fascinates us.

The one character we do feel attachment for is Freddy, an Iraqi man who reluctantly becomes Roy's translator and partner in his search for the truth. He's a man divided by the love of the land he calls home, and the desire to help out these Americans who are "liberating" his land and his people. Khalid Abdalla doesn't have as much dialogue as his more famous co-stars, but he conveys just as much emotion, especially in his climactic scene near the end of the film. As for Damon, he slips comfortably into the role of a noble hero-type who finds himself surrounded by unsavory individuals that he once trusted quite blindly. He can pull off the action stunts, as well as a piercing gaze that tells you he knows he's being lied to, or not hearing the entire story. Also strong is Greg Kinnear, who is appropriately slimy yet able to hold himself in such a way that he demands authority and respect from those who work for him and those he works for.

I think what I appreciated the most about Green Zone is the clarity in which the story is told. It never gets bogged down in too many characters, too much story, or too much information. It knows just what to give us, and how much to give us. This is an entertaining and well-paced movie that excites and gets you talking afterward. Some movies about Iraq have gotten too involved with their own politics or beliefs of the filmmakers. This one is a thrill ride with a brain, which is probably the best way anyone could have handled this material.

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