Matt Damon plays Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller who leads a number of raids in Iraq on sites that are suspected of hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Each time nothing is found and Miller begins to wonder why — particularly when casualties start mounting up. He starts to question the intelligence reports coming in and speaks out publicly in a briefing. He is basically told to mind his business and get on with his job. After meeting with a CIA man with long experience in Iraq and a New York newspaperwoman whose articles supported the US claims of WMD in Iraq, Miller begins to think the intelligence has been deceitfully constructed for political reasons. He becomes involved in a complex series of actions to make sure that the deceit surrounding the justification of the war under the guise of finding WMD is brought to light.
Green Zone is a very fast-paced action thriller that has a complex but easily followed plot line. The fact that the story intersects with contemporary themes and facts makes it highly relevant — even if it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Green Zone, it must be remembered, is fiction despite its allusions to well-known history. But it's a fantastic ride and makes a very significant point about the treatment of the Iraqi army and the desperate need that people have in Iraq to make their own choices.
Whatever the faults of Green Zone), they are overshadowed by superb pacing, excellent camera work, great storytelling, and gritty realism. Peter Greengrass, the director, brings all his action skills from previous movies The Bourne Ultimatum and The Bourne Supremacy and ties them to a story that unabashedly confronts the political situation surrounding the war in Iraq. Real life characters such as New York Times reporter Judith Miller and Iraqi politician Achmed Chalabi, have fictional counterparts in the movie.
The beauty of Green Zone is that the message of the movie doesn't overwhelm the entertainment of a great thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat for its nearly 2 hour length. Loved it!
Positive Review
"It is a thriller, not a documentary. It's my belief that the nature of the neocon evildoing has by now become pretty clear. Others will disagree. The bottom line is: This is one hell of a thriller.' - Roger Ebert/Chicago Sun-Times
Negative Review
'Green Zone is an exercise in commercial cowardice masquerading as a thriller about political bravery.' - Ray Greene/Boxoffice Magazine
Content Advice
Violence and language
AUS: M
USA: R
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