So I haven’t seen Zero Dark Thirty, mostly because I refuse to watch propaganda films. Mr. HG, however, watched it the other night. Judging from the amount of giggling, sighing, groaning and full-throated denunciations overheard, I’m assuming it was not as good as the press are claiming.
Mr HG’s actual review was delivered in his typically succinct style: “That was stupid. A total waste of my time.” He had, of course, researched it extensively before watching it, which I am assuming made it even worse to sit through. I knew better than to waste my time.
This is what we should be hearing about. From what I’ve read, Marcus Luttrell is comfortable with it, which is enough for me. The release date is only listed as “2013″ on the IMDB page, but I’ll hear about it from the Mr well before it is actually released.
In a sane, fair world, I’d expect the amount of press for Lone Survivor to surpass the hype surrounding Zero Dark Thirty, but I’m not holding my breath. If it’s not a film made for the glory of our Dear Leader, I’m not sure it will receive the same kind of disgusting, fawning, sycophantic reviews.
I could be wrong, though. It happens sometimes.
Lone Survivor – I actually read that, last half first, then first half to fill in the detail, and enjoyed the inside look into the Navy SEALs. Act of Valor captured the ethos perfectly. Not sure if Mark Wahlberg could pull it off. For one, Marcus Luttrell is a big dude. Mark Wahlberg not so much. More importantly I don’t find Wahlberg to be truthful. I have seem him in a number of films, and almost never find him to be believeable. He would have to project himself as a friendly, likeable guy, very good at what he does (sniper/medic), who finds himself in the position of having to decide the fate of an Afghani who happens to stumble into his team while they are staked out, and because he can’t see it right to take the man’s life, his whole team is killed, a fact which will forever haunt him. Can Mark pull that off? The self doubt? The sense of loss? I hope so.
Zero Dark Thirty – I can’t see myself watching that.
Off-topic, but Mark Steyn has an article in Commentary. Doesn’t sound too optimistic(I’ve only read a couple of sentences): http://www.commentarymagazine.com/steyn-future-of-conservatism/