Movie Review: Green Zone

Four weeks after the invasion of Iraq, US Army Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller(Matt Damon) and his team search different sites for WMD. Roy is disillusioned since all searches so far has failed to find any traces of WMD. So, he starts to question the source of intelligence during various occasions. Sensing his veiled agitation regarding this during a high level debriefing session, Martin Brown(Blendan Gleeson) a CIA officer befriends Miller. Martin believes the search for WMD is not going to yield any results.

Meanwhile, Clark Poundstone(Greg Kinnear) another pentagon official organizes the arrival of Ahmed Zubaidi to Baghdad. Zubaidi is the chosen one to lead Iraq into democracy. At the airport, Poundstone is questioned by the Wall Streel Journal correspondent Lawrie Dayne(Amy Ryan). Lawrie has published articles stating the existence of WMD based on a source named “Magellan”. She wants to meet the source in person as Poundstone was the intermediary for all communications so far.

On a mission to unearth WMDs, Miller is interrupted by an Iraqi named Freddy. Freddy witnessed a lot of Ba’thist hotshots convening for a meeting at a nearby house. On hearing this, Miller orders his team to search the house. After a shootout, they are able to hold a man captive while many escape. Later, Miller identifies former Iraqi General Mohammed Al-Rawi as one of the person who escaped from the house. After this, the events unfold at a rapid pace where Miller sense something inappropriate going on where his government is also involved. This also results in a direct confrontation between Poundstone and Miller.

Paul Greengrass directs this thriller. The story is based on the non fiction book named “Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone” by Rajiv Chandrasekaran. The contemporary events generates drama, intrigue and betrayal (by the authorities) in the mind of the viewer. Like his previous ventures, this movie is told in a frenetic pace with a shaky camera. The camera on constant move flipping between the action and the reaction. By using this technique, the viewer becomes the part of the action unfolding on the screen. The final chase sequence in the climax is a visual delight because of this technique.

The performances are good. But the story telling takes precedence.

Recommended.

Language: English

Genre: Thriller

Rating: ***

Tags: Movies,Matt Damon,Greg Kinnear,Blendan Gleeson,Amy Ryan,Paul Greengrass,Thriller