I thought “The Green Zone” was terrifically enjoyable. So I am somewhat surprised to see it getting mixed reviews and doing poorly at the box office. It does try to be a political thriller, but if you go for the politics, you will be disappointed. If you go for the thrills, you are in for a treat.
It doesn’t help that the director, Paul Greengrass, directed both the Bourne films as well as “United 93”. It is much closer to the Bourne films, and everything from the use of Matt Damon to, well, this trailer, YouTube – ‘Green Zone’ Trailer, reinforces that. If you liked the Bourne films, or action/adventure films generally, then see the film. If you want the story of the early days of the Iraq war, then you likely want something else.
It’s interesting that a few reviews and commentary referred to The Hurt Locker as being a more realistic portrayal than this. I’ve read at a number of sites that The Hurt Locker isn’t very realistic either. What The Hurt Locker does do well, though, is portray the situation in Iraq using almost a documentary approach to filmmaking. Plus The Hurt Locker removals all the politics from the war. Green Zone, on the other hand, is filmed with more of an action film approach to moving making, and it is very political. Perhaps that’s why it comes across as less realistic. I believe neither film is realistic, but both of them are entertaining and worth seeing.
In Green Zone the press, Special Forces and the government are the antagonists, while the CIA and the military are the protagonists. I thought that was interesting.
Anyway, here’s the trailer for Green Zone.
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