"Green Zone": Movie Review (2010)

Movie Review

"Green Zone"

By our guest blogger, Jeremy Wilkinson

"Green Zone" is ‘inspired by’ the book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone." Though the film has been marketed as an action movie in some trailers, it’s more of a war thriller. Though the movie is entertaining enough, the politics involved might turn some away.

Matt Damon is Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller. His squad is in Iraq, attempting to find weapons of mass destruction. The squad has been unable to find WMDs, despite information from their superiors from a reliable source. He begins to question the reliability of the information, and he begins a search to find out what is going on.

For the most part, the acting works. Damon is effective as a soldier who has begun to become cynical, playing Miller as reserved when he needs to be. Greg Kinnear also does well as Clarke Poundstone. Khalid Abdalla does especially well as “Freddie,” an Iraqi would becomes Miller’s translator. His desire to help his country and his own moral conflict was a highlight. Nearly everyone in the supporting cast is believable as their characters. However, there are times when it feels as if some of the main actors are merely going through the motions. These hiccups bring you out of the movie, if only for a short time.

One of the things "Green Zone" does well is create tension. The film builds slower than you might given the intensity of its trailer.  Still, the movie unfolds in a way that that works more often than not. It does drag in some places, while others are not as engaging as they could be. But Miller’s journey to discover what’s going on and help the people of Iraq is well-paced, with information being given at times that feel right.

Because of the nature of the movie, those with strong political views might not like the film. Be assured, the message is not as clear-cut as you might think. That said, it does have political messages woven into its narrative.

Well done, if not amazing, "Green Zone" is an entertaining war thriller that delivers more often than not.

Grade: B-

View WeekinRewind.com's preview of "Green Zone" below. What are your thoughts?