Review: Green Zone

For fans of the Bourne films the third collaboration between Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass has obviously been anticipated for some time. However those expecting the slick yet subtle actioner with depth and fine performances will be unlucky. Though Greengrass' direction is still solid, Green Zone is an entirely different kettle of fish to the pair's previous work. The plot is one of the main problems, a script by L.A. Confidential and Mystic River's Brian Helegeland should've been a solid bet, but the story is disjointed flitting between action and politics and not being sure about either. Although there are still enough explosions to satisfy the die-hard action fans, they will have to sit through a lot of piffle first. The build-up to the action is the reason for the war in Iraq, the search for WMDs and the lack there of. Damon's Chief Miller becomes suspicious of the motives of the war and searches out the people who can help him. Had this film happened five or more years ago then it would've been seen as revolutionary and a critique of the reasons for war may of made a renegade film. But as we are in 2010 and the Iraq inquiry is ongoing the film seems to be rather a late entry into the Iraq cannon.

In the Bourne films part of Matt Damon's charm seemed to be his use of actions over words but here he has a lot to say and most of it is very course. Indeed the dialogue in the first 20 or so minutes of the film uses the same kind of action movie cliches that I criticised Avatar for. Although Damon does assert an authority as an army chief and does play the part well but he struggles with the material he is given. The cast does include some fine character actors including Greg Kinnear as a slimy yes man and Brendan Gleason as a suspicous CIA agent both excel in the film but again have little to do. And spare a thought for poor old Jason Isaacs who is little more than an afterthought basically running around a lot and sporting some fine facial fur. The only woman with a noteable role is Amy 'Beadie Russell from The Wire' Ryan as a cliched journalist who's 'after the truth' as it were. That there are no women involved either as agents or soldiers in the film just demonstrates how testosterone-fuelled the entire film is.

That's not to say there's nothing to enjoy, Green Zone features some fine overhead shots of Baghdad and as with his previous films Greengrass puts us in the centre of the action making Iraq come alive as we journey down its many streets and look down on it from above. There is also an interesting message about U.S. involvement in Iraq, should the Iraqis be allowed to sort out their own problems without the west getting involved? It is an interesting question but it is mixed up with a lot of other politics so it becomes little more than a sidenote. The best performance of the whole film comes from Khalid Abdalla as Freddie an Iraqi native who sides with the Americans and has some great chemistry with Damon.

Overall this is an enjoyable ride if you're just in for a solid action film however the political aspects are a little skewed. Green Zone is no Bourne Ultimatum and certainly can't stand side by side with its most recent contemporary, The Hurt Locker, but it rises above a lot of the action schlock that it is available at the local multiplex so I would still recommend it.