DVD Reviews

Green Zone – DVD Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jun 22, 2010, 16:57 GMT

Academy Award® nominees Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum) reteam in this action-packed thriller. Damon stars as Roy Miller, a rogue U.S. Army officer who must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil before war escalates in an unstable region. Also starring Academy Award® nominees Greg Kinnear and Amy Ryan, Green Zone is “one hell of a thriller” (Roger Ebert, Chicago ...more

Political thrillers being set in modern times are not anything new. Director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon, the team behind the last two Bourne movies, do just that with the Iraq war and though the results are thrilling the setting might cause some political heat.

Chief Warrant officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is part of a group during the Iraqi war that is searching for WMD (weapons of mass destruction). Miller is working with intelligence provided by an anonymous, secret source that details the location of WMD. Miller is increasingly frustrated because this verified intel is finding nothing.

He starts to think that the source is untrustworthy, even though his superiors think that it is highly reliable. Department of defense official Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear) is busy readying Iraq for its new politicians and dismisses Miller’s concerns. Miller does find an interested ear in CIA official Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson), but more proof is needed.

During a routine patrol, Miller and his group are approached by Freddy (Khalid Abdalla), an Iraqi friendly who says that he witnessed General Mohammed Al-Rawi (Yigal Naor) who is highly sought after by the military. They raid the location, Al-Rawi evades capture, but the minor players they do capture are whisked away by Major Briggs (Jason Issacs).

During the confusion of Briggs barging into Miller’s operation, Miller is able to spirit away a mysterious notebook that Briggs is highly interested in. Miller gets that notebook to Brown and suddenly Poundstone starts to take an interest in Miller. Miller begins to study the works of Wall Street Journal reporter Lawrie Dayne’s (Amy Ryan) reports about WMD as she happens to also be in Iraq covering the story.

He pieces together that the anonymous source “Magellan” is Al-Rawi but others want him silenced so Miller has to get to the hiding general before the enemy finds him and silences him forever.

Green Zone took some flack setting the film’s intrigue and thrills during the Iraq war. Especially concerning the resolution of the mystery and the “villains” behind it. Of course, you need to realize that the film’s conceits are fictional. If you were against the war then you’ll find fodder for your opinions and if you weren’t you’ll be pissed and maybe even might utter the moniker “anti-American” at it.

I wouldn’t go that far, but anti-authority, high-level screw-ups, and lying politicians are always fodder for films. I’ll admit that Greengrass and company are preaching their opinions on the war. That can be a dangerous sermon as I detailed above you’re likely to divide audiences.

When the collection plates for Green Zone were passed around it barely made up its production costs so it seems the subject wasn’t too well taken. I guess you take your chances, but Greengrass has still created a film in his own style and his own opinions.

So it’s a well made product, offers suspense, but your political opinion may temper your enjoyment.

Matt Damon is more like Jason Bourne undercover as there isn’t much that differentiates Miller from Damon and Bourne does more spectacular takedowns and derring-do. What is more interesting are the foreigners in the cast.

Every time I saw Brendan Gleason I kept thinking something is wrong. It was strange hearing an American accent pass his lips and it seemed strange to hear it. I kept expecting him to slip into his brogue.

Jason Isaacs is pretty near unrecognizable with his dark hair and Fu Manchu mustache (very Tom Savini). It wasn’t until later when they were doing close-ups that I realized that was him. Green Zone is a well made thriller and there are thrills aplenty.

Green Zone is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.40:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary from director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon.

Next are 12 minutes of deleted scenes that you can play with or without commentary by Greengrass and Damon. The 9 minute “Matt Damon: Ready for Action” looks at the actor and the 9 minute “Inside the Green Zone” is a standard making of.

Green Zone is a film that is sure to divide, depending on what side of the war you may be on. I tried to judge the film on its merits and found it a fine political thriller. Since politics are involved there may be arguments from those that are on either side of that fence. Those willing to put those things aside will find a fine film.