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Rennie Dyball, People: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "It's an interesting, fun ride but lacks the textured core of this year's Best Picture, 'The Hurt Locker'..." (Read the full review...) 137 words, 03/11/10 Richard Corliss, Time: VERY GOOD "...has a fullness of character, a density of detail, a cunning mystery plot and so much stuff blowing up that audiences might not realize they're seeing an Iraq-war film. They'll be too scared stiff enjoying themselves." (Read the full review...) 841 words, 03/12/10 David Germain, Associated Press: MODERATE (cg) "...a visual and visceral knockout that's utterly deflated by a story as common, coarse and unappetizing as Army field rations.... tired, standard action fare..." (Read the full review...) 687 words, 03/11/10 Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...confusingly weaves fact and fiction and whipsaws between various conspiracy theories, while the nonstop action mimics an Xbox splatter game." (Read the full review...) 77 words, 03/11/10 Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "The standoffs, showdowns, and cat-and-mouse chases are bracing, sometimes even 'Bourne' cool. What 'Green Zone' lacks, however, is gravitas, perspective, and (since it was shot two years ago) timeliness..." (Read the full review...) 677 words, 03/12/10 Michael Phillips, A.O. Scott, At the Movies: GOOD (cg) Michael Phillips: "Rent it." A.O. Scott: "See it." (Watch the full review...) 282 seconds, 03/13/10 Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD (cg) "Nothing wrong with an ace action thriller. But the book, set after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, was more than that.... even in this Bourne Zone, Damon and [director Paul] Greengrass haven't shirked their duty to enlighten and entertain." (Read the full review...) 295 words, 03/05/10 Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "Fact and fiction are woven with a sense of urgency in the unrelenting, but flawed, Iraq war thriller... takes a complex and important story and renders it facile. Characters are etched too clearly in black and white.... While it might have felt provocative a few years ago, 'Zone' feels anticlimactic now." (Read the full review...) 544 words, 03/12/10 Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: OUTSTANDING (cg) "...looks at an American war in a way almost no Hollywood movie ever has: We're not the heroes, but the dupes.... 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." (Read the full review...) 788 words, 03/11/10 James Berardinelli, Reel Views: OUTSTANDING (cg) "...a high energy thriller. The level of tension starts out high and rarely lets up during the course of nearly two hours.... Greengrass' in-your-face style is mostly an asset, with the hand-held camera shots ratcheting up the urgency and amplifying the sense of chaos that blossoms in firefights." (Read the full review...) 855 words, 03/10/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...foot chases and gun battles that unfold with the velocity, complexity and precision of a Bach fugue played on overdrive.... epitomize[s] the ability of mainstream commercial cinema to streamline the complexities of the real world without becoming overly simplistic, to fictionalize without falsifying." (Read the full review...) 1,386 words, 03/12/10 Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT (cg) "...muscularizes the morality that was one of the sacrifices during the Iraq invasion and the newspaper headlines that followed. The result is intelligent, tough and gripping.... has a compelling visceral punch, and a sly way of dealing with absurdities... The cast is strong..." (Read the full review...) 418 words, 03/12/10 Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...gives full weight to the moral complexities of the Iraq situation, something that is rare in any film, let alone a thriller, and if it wears its heart on its sleeve, it's hard to argue with a film that insists 'the reasons we go to war always matter.' Can one man make a difference? this film asks. If his name is Paul Greengrass and he has this kind of team behind him, the answer is yes." (Read the full review...) 920 words, 03/12/10 Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD (cg) "Politics aside and purely as a piece of genre moviemaking, 'Green Zone' is a solid example of a political paranoia thriller." (Read the full review...) 453 words, 03/12/10 Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...it's too soon, or perhaps just too depressing, to turn recent, tragic and grimly well-documented geopolitical events... that did not reflect well on America's place and purpose in the world into simplified, thriller-friendly material.... partly real and partly, increasingly, fantastic and outlandish in its wishful thinking." (Read the full review...) 523 words, 03/12/10 Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "A surprisingly pointed political thriller, though the suspense is blunted by rehashing old headlines.... the film is at cross-purposes with itself. Director Paul Greengrass (the last two 'Bourne' films) wants shootouts and shaky cameras, but screenwriter Brian Helgeland ('Mystic River') keeps getting all wonky." (Read the full review...) 325 words, 03/12/10 David Edelstein, New York Magazine: MODERATE "...a slam-bam piece of muckraking... But it's also rather tawdry. The climax is as ludicrous as any Jack Bauer adventure, and Greengrass is always on shaky ground.... Damon's credible, low-key acting that keeps the final twist... from seeming as preposterous as it is." (Read the full review...) 493 words, 03/08/10 Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING (cg) "...looks at an American war in a way almost no Hollywood movie ever has: We're not the heroes, but the dupes.... 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." (Read the full review...) 788 words, 03/11/10 J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...a bang-bang pulse-pounder... Greengrass is the best action director working today... the movie is nonstop havoc.... works mainly because of the hardworking, always-believable Damon." (Read the full review...) 675 words, 03/10/10 Peter Howell, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD (cg) "Damon acquits himself beautifully as Miller, convincingly playing a righteous Army renegade - he seems to have lowered his voice an octave to punch home his words." (Read the full review...) 904 words, 03/12/10 Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE (cg) "...a truly bizarre mash-up of real history and political thriller.... tries to tap into outrage about the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 for commercial movie thrills." (Read the full review...) 594 words, 03/12/10 Cary Darling, Orange County Register: FAIR (cg) "...sadly, 'Green Zone' adds up to something less than its many constantly moving parts.... arresting but often heavy-handed, dumbed-down..." (Read the full review...) 591 words, 03/12/10 Josep Parera, La Opinion: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "Bourne viaja a Irak. Matt Damon vuelve con el personaje en la trepidante 'Green Zone.' " (Read the full review...) 571 words, 03/12/10 Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...director Paul Greengrass pursues his fast, fragmented, pseudo-realistic approach to action and dialogue. The result is an entertaining, forgettable time-waster.... The techniques generate the requisite excitement when he can keep the narrative flow coherent, but too often the action disappears into abstract flashes of color and motion that signify nothing." (Read the full review...) 219 words, 03/11/10
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...a jangly, noisy, compulsively restless thriller on a par with the 'Bourne' movies, shot through with political critique.... there's no denying 'Green Zone's' propulsive energy and the tantalizing idea of Damon making everything all right as a brave, morally infallible soldier." (Read the full review...) 551 words, 03/12/10 Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "There's gripping, suspenseful stuff here, as Miller and his squad abandon the WMD hunt to chase down pro-Saddam conspirators..." (Read the full review...) 612 words, 03/12/10 Mick LaSalle, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD (cg) "Greengrass and Helgeland manage to squeeze out a convincing narrative, one that's gripping and suspenseful and keeps us worrying about Damon..." (Read the full review...) 670 words, 03/12/10 Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: MODERATE (cg) "...isn't so much a bad movie as a misguided one.... stages chases and house-to-house combat with great verve. But [director Paul Greengrass] loses the central metaphor, the bizarre alternate reality the political hacks were living under in their guarded enclave, the chaos outside the Emerald City's walls." (Read the full review...) 465 words, 03/12/10 Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "Dramatic license aside, the film does a fair job of summing up the cooked intelligence reports, credulous newsgathering and facts-be-damned official certitude that triggered our longest war." (Read the full review...) 443 words, 03/12/10 Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: VERY GOOD (cg) "...it's easy to begin to work up a good deal of righteous bile and anger watching 'Green Zone,' as we are again reminded of what led us to war. But then a mortar whizzes by and the camera shakes and an explosion rocks the frame and off we go again..." (Read the full review...) 656 words, 03/12/10 Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: OUTSTANDING (cg) "...a detailed look at American policy and strategy mishaps during the first year of the war. But it's also a Paul Greengrass movie, which means lots of breathless action... an urgent piece of work.... remarkable in its nerve to take on very recent history with a harshly critical eye." (Read the full review...) 639 words, 03/12/10 Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...begins exceedingly well. Then it's fasten your seat belts, swallow your Dramamine as the camera darts, sways, pans and tilts..." (Read the full review...) 638 words, 03/12/10 Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...somewhere between a blockbuster and a tract -- a traction movie.... whizzes and bangs and sizzles as it chases the truth like a dog off its leash.... But a restlessness keeps the movie both unsettled and uninteresting.... moves too fast to think and its political ideas have been pre-argued to death." (Read the full review...) 929 words, 03/12/10 Stephen Whitty, Cleveland Plain-Dealer: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...feels more like a slick, hyped-up action movie ('The Bourne Invasion'?) than a sober drama about serious issues.... is itself divided, both assiduously wonky and popcorn populist, overly hysterical and oddly optimistic." (Read the full review...) 591 words, 03/12/10 John Hartl, Seattle Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...the movie can be a frustrating experience. It refuses to get specific and name names... The result is a slightly above-average wartime thriller that delivers car chases, gunbattles and looting episodes that dominated the streets of Baghdad during the 'shock and awe' period of early 2003." (Read the full review...) 417 words, 03/12/10 Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: GOOD (cg) "...somehow all the noise and clamor and sweat in this film don't engage, perhaps because the endgame is -- as we all know in advance -- deflating and not explosive.... 'Green Zone' is a story of a fruitless endeavor." (Read the full review...) 592 words, 03/12/10 Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD (cg) "...the film has a high irony quotient. Some moviegoers may prefer not to be reminded of the origins of the war; others may respond with a shrug. But despite its shortcomings... both thoughtful and entertaining -- a rare combination." (Read the full review...) 317 words, 03/12/10 Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...turns a smart novel into an average thriller." (Read the full review...) 524 words, 03/12/10 Tom Long, Detroit News: VERY GOOD (cg) "...you might be able to turn off your mind and soak up the film as a fast-paced conspiracy flick that plays out on and off the field of battle. Heaven knows there's plenty of action and intrigue to be had here. But director Paul Greengrass ('The Bourne Ultimatum,' 'United 93') has a lot more on his mind." (Read the full review...) 722 words, 03/12/10 Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...an action thriller set in Iraq, because that's the best place to string together... chases through burned-out rubble.... Iraq can provide thought-provoking material for filmmakers. In this case, it's just a good place to run." (Read the full review...) 507 words, 03/12/10
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...a bang-bang pulse-pounder... Greengrass is the best action director working today... the movie is nonstop havoc.... works mainly because of the hardworking, always-believable Damon." (Read the full review...) 675 words, 03/10/10 Shaula Clark, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD (cg) "...a frenetic trip down memory lane -- back to the beginning of the Iraq War.... Despite the narrative whiplash... an engrossing (if fictionalized) answer to the question 'How did we get here, exactly?" (Read the full review...) 159 words, 03/18/10 Scott Tobias, AV Club: GOOD (cg) "Greengrass smoothly integrates the suspense and tension of a Hollywood thriller with a ground-level depiction of American chicanery in the chaotic days after the fall of Baghdad. Yet... the politics too often get ahead of the action..." (Read the full review...) 417 words, 03/11/10 Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT) (cg) "...director Paul Greengrass pursues his fast, fragmented, pseudo-realistic approach to action and dialogue. The result is an entertaining, forgettable time-waster.... The techniques generate the requisite excitement when he can keep the narrative flow coherent, but too often the action disappears into abstract flashes of color and motion that signify nothing." (Read the full review...) 219 words, 03/11/10 Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: EXCELLENT (cg) "...manages to be far more exciting than other films about the Iraq War -- and far more substantial than glossy, forgettable international thrillers... Even if some of its arguments seem familiar, its indignation feels fresh to the point of rawness." (Read the full review...) 672 words, 03/12/10
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: FAIR "...generates genuine excitement, as well as plenty of provocation... but then goes off its own reservation into a won't-fly zone of awkward preachments and hapless absurdities.... comes on as Bourne again and ends up out of bounds." (Read the full review...) 820 words, 03/12/10 A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...foot chases and gun battles that unfold with the velocity, complexity and precision of a Bach fugue played on overdrive.... epitomize[s] the ability of mainstream commercial cinema to streamline the complexities of the real world without becoming overly simplistic, to fictionalize without falsifying." (Read the full review...) 1,386 words, 03/12/10 Anthony Lane, New Yorker: FAIR "...approaches every human activity as if preparing to defibrillate.... This pathological wish to thrill delivers diminishing returns.... the excitements of 'Green Zone' sit uneasily with its examination of the real and recent past." (Read the full review...) 788 words, 03/08/10 David Edelstein, NPR Fresh Air: MODERATE "It's a mixed bag, but you can't say Greengrass and Damon don't take a stand. In the Greengrass zone, there's no time or space for the quiet revelation, the offhand but crystalline detail that transcends the melodramatic agenda. There's a lack of imagination in his work." (Listen to the full review...) 441 seconds, 03/12/10 Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...gives full weight to the moral complexities of the Iraq situation, something that is rare in any film, let alone a thriller, and if it wears its heart on its sleeve, it's hard to argue with a film that insists 'the reasons we go to war always matter.' Can one man make a difference? this film asks. If his name is Paul Greengrass and he has this kind of team behind him, the answer is yes." (Read the full review...) 920 words, 03/12/10
Todd McCarthy, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "So vivid and convincingly realistic is the physical depiction of Baghdad in the early days of the American occupation that the introduction of trumped-up thriller elements feels like an unwanted intrusion... high-voltage action drama does a better job of defining where the U.S. went hopelessly wrong on Iraq than it does in creating a plausible suspense scenario." (Read the full review...) 1,143 words, 03/04/10 Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: OUTSTANDING "...director Paul Greengrass brings the frenetic, run-and-gun style with which he utterly transformed the movie thriller in the Jason Bourne series to a different kind of thriller, one with a sharper political edge.... a remarkable film." (Read the full review...) 944 words, 03/04/10 Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "...gives full weight to the moral complexities of the Iraq situation, something that is rare in any film, let alone a thriller, and if it wears its heart on its sleeve, it's hard to argue with a film that insists 'the reasons we go to war always matter.' Can one man make a difference? this film asks. If his name is Paul Greengrass and he has this kind of team behind him, the answer is yes." (Read the full review...) 920 words, 03/12/10 Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: MODERATE (cg) "...a disappointment, both politically and artistically.... Though ultra-realistic style, the narrative strains credibility... too simplistic in its explanations, too well-rounded in terms of heroes and villains, and ultimately too symmetrical for its own good." (Read the full review...) 1,353 words, 03/08/10 A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...foot chases and gun battles that unfold with the velocity, complexity and precision of a Bach fugue played on overdrive.... epitomize[s] the ability of mainstream commercial cinema to streamline the complexities of the real world without becoming overly simplistic, to fictionalize without falsifying." (Read the full review...) 1,386 words, 03/12/10 Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: FAIR "...generates genuine excitement, as well as plenty of provocation... but then goes off its own reservation into a won't-fly zone of awkward preachments and hapless absurdities.... comes on as Bourne again and ends up out of bounds." (Read the full review...) 820 words, 03/12/10
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