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Zero Dark Thirty (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review - Page 2

post #31 of 171
3/12/13 at 9:27pm
From what I've read up about the movie, it's supposed to almost be considered a straight docudrama more so than an "action flick." If you're looking for rootin' tootin' shootin' then this isn't the story for you.

Can't wait to rent it... at least!
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post #32 of 171
3/12/13 at 9:51pm
I would have given it more a long the lines of a total score of 89 but who knows I have seen some movies that I thought were okay in theaters but then was blown away when I saw it again on Bluray.
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post #33 of 171
3/13/13 at 10:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by N8DOGG View Post

A full heli crashes not more than 30 feet from the house, no one wakes up, everyone is surprised when they breach the house. The heli's hover very close to the house, roping out the guys, no one hears that either. Everyone in the house is caught by surprise. Have you ever heard a blackhawk in real life? They are FREAKING LOUD!! Expecially one crashing in your yard, even if you were in a bunker (which they are not) it's impossible everyone doesn't hear a aircraft crash in your own yard. One of the guys I went to the movie with is in the military and even he just had to laugh. It's was still a very interesting movie but that ruined it for me.

The crash happened. And the helicopters hovered. Based on reports of the incident (not talking about the movie here) apparently the electricity to the house was cut-off, so the occupants had absolutely no visibility. So the surprise came from not being able to see what was going on, but the SEAL team could, due to night vision gear. Keep in mind this is Pakistan-- not the US -- not lights everywhere at night. Also, other than the courier and I believe one other person at the compound, there were no bodyguards (no contingent of soldiers to engage). And the courier was shot right away.

The bulk of the people in the house were women and children. As such, the noise or lack of surprise didn't really matter in real life (or thus in the movie). Moreover, there was no where for the occupants to go (no escape hatch, no tunnel). They were holed up on the upper floors waiting in the dark and no match for trained commandos.

Further, as the film depicted, and as apparently happened in real life, neighbors did approach the house due to waking up from the racket, but were warned to stay away in their own language by a SEAL contingent outside the compound. Keep in mind that this home was pretty far away from other homes too and it was the dead of night. Just regular folks in the immediate area.

By the way I saw this in the theater. Great movie. Waaaaaaaaaay better than Argo (Zero Dark should have won Best Picture over Argo). Movie kept you in suspense the whole time, yet everyone knows the outcome. Extremely well done. This was not about condoning or not condoning torture, don't let the politics scare you off. Both my wife and i shrugged afterwards and said why was everyone worried about the torture scenes (very minor part of the movie in my opinion).
Edited by caesar1 - 3/13/13 at 10:41am
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post #34 of 171
3/13/13 at 6:18pm
This sounds like a winner. Nice in depth review smile.gif
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post #35 of 171
3/13/13 at 8:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by caesar1 View Post

The crash happened. And the helicopters hovered. Based on reports of the incident (not talking about the movie here) apparently the electricity to the house was cut-off, so the occupants had absolutely no visibility. So the surprise came from not being able to see what was going on, but the SEAL team could, due to night vision gear. Keep in mind this is Pakistan-- not the US -- not lights everywhere at night. Also, other than the courier and I believe one other person at the compound, there were no bodyguards (no contingent of soldiers to engage). And the courier was shot right away.

The bulk of the people in the house were women and children. As such, the noise or lack of surprise didn't really matter in real life (or thus in the movie). Moreover, there was no where for the occupants to go (no escape hatch, no tunnel). They were holed up on the upper floors waiting in the dark and no match for trained commandos.

Further, as the film depicted, and as apparently happened in real life, neighbors did approach the house due to waking up from the racket, but were warned to stay away in their own language by a SEAL contingent outside the compound. Keep in mind that this home was pretty far away from other homes too and it was the dead of night. Just regular folks in the immediate area.

By the way I saw this in the theater. Great movie. Waaaaaaaaaay better than Argo (Zero Dark should have won Best Picture over Argo). Movie kept you in suspense the whole time, yet everyone knows the outcome. Extremely well done. This was not about condoning or not condoning torture, don't let the politics scare you off. Both my wife and i shrugged afterwards and said why was everyone worried about the torture scenes (very minor part of the movie in my opinion).

Also, once they had an idea it COULD have been Bin Laden he had his own satellite. In the book "No Easy Day" and in the movie it points out the fact that the Pakastani army would fly near it with helicopters since they had an army base not that far away. So they were "used" to choppers flying near by.

Jeff
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post #36 of 171
3/14/13 at 12:54pm
This is without a doubt one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I'm happy to have added it to my blu ray collection. Might even watch again tonight!
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post #37 of 171
3/14/13 at 1:55pm
It's on my queue. Like to see it 1st before I buy.

Saw Jessica Chastain in both the Help and Lawless, one great actor. It's too bad she did not win but she'll have her chances in the future.
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post #38 of 171
3/14/13 at 2:42pm
She defiantly deserved one for this movie.
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post #39 of 171
3/15/13 at 3:56am
Is this available on Vudu or iTunes yet?
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post #40 of 171
3/15/13 at 8:23am
I could've sworn I either saw this available in iTunes or on Sony PlayStation.
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post #41 of 171
3/15/13 at 8:31am
I have to look, I really want to see this movie. The reviews are great.
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post #42 of 171
3/15/13 at 8:42am
Seems it was "The Hobbit" and "Killing Them Softly" that was available before DVD and Blu Ray release.
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post #43 of 171
3/18/13 at 4:58am
Muchas gracias senor Potts. On many levels this is an automatic purchase and bonus that we have 100's across the board. A must " war movie" for me.
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post #44 of 171
3/18/13 at 6:02am
The darkness is really going to test some of those cheap lcd tvs I bet.
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post #45 of 171
3/18/13 at 9:45am
Who buys cheap LCD?
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post #46 of 171
3/18/13 at 9:48am
I can't wait for this movie to come out (tmrw) Jessica Chastain performed really well in the Debt, another great movie to watch!!!
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post #47 of 171
3/18/13 at 12:54pm
It's really a great movie. There wasn't a single thing I disliked about it.
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post #48 of 171
3/19/13 at 10:20am
I bought this on sale today at the local Kmart. I'm putting off watching it until sunset to get the best picture I can from my Sharp Aquuos.

I've been wanting to see this ever since I first heard of it but I didn't decide to buy it until Ralph gave it "the rare 100/100 technical rating". I new I wanted to see it for the story it's based on but the clincher for me to buy it was Ralph's review and the rating he gave.

Al
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post #49 of 171
3/19/13 at 12:43pm
How much did you get it for?
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post #50 of 171
3/19/13 at 1:39pm
Gots to see this! cool.gif
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post #51 of 171
3/19/13 at 1:48pm
You will love it!
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post #52 of 171
3/19/13 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angler55 View Post

I bought this on sale today at the local Kmart. I'm putting off watching it until sunset to get the best picture I can from my Sharp Aquuos.

I've been wanting to see this ever since I first heard of it but I didn't decide to buy it until Ralph gave it "the rare 100/100 technical rating". I new I wanted to see it for the story it's based on but the clincher for me to buy it was Ralph's review and the rating he gave.

Al

Greetings,

Hope I didn't oversell it Al.. biggrin.gif

Enjoy and post back after you have seen it. smile.gif


Regards,
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post #53 of 171
3/19/13 at 1:50pm
What did you rate avatar?
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post #54 of 171
3/19/13 at 4:40pm
Could anybody tell me if the bluray for this movie has forced subtitles?

-Suntan
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post #55 of 171
3/19/13 at 6:17pm
Just watched it and was a bit disappointed overall, but the same thing happened with Hurt Locker. I liked both movies but felt that neither lived up to the hype they received. The last 30 or 40 minutes of Zero Dark Thirty were entertaining and suspenseful, but before that things were moving a bit too slowly. I do think Kathryn Bigelow is a great director, though, and am glad that many people found this to be a great movie. cool.gif

Thank you for reviewing it for us, Ralph! smile.gif
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post #56 of 171
3/19/13 at 6:30pm
It's early yet and many have not seen the movie. I can tell you my impression, she was trying to show us what most of us have forgotten.The whole first 3/4's of the movie was the build up to the raid. The ruthlessness of our enemy was protrayed excellently. This is not a shoot em up constant bass slamming movie. Does ANYONE remember good ol' movies from the past that were suspenseful without constant shooting? This movie was unjustly dissed And I stand firm by my statement that the movie Seal Team Six SUCKED big time. THAT was a waste of a rental. What have we become....

Jeff
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post #57 of 171
3/19/13 at 7:59pm
We just got done this movie and I just have to say this movie got robbed! How on Earth did Argo take best

ZDT Picture of the year IMO!!
Edited by Reefdvr27 - 3/20/13 at 4:43am
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post #58 of 171
3/19/13 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reefdvr27 View Post

We just got done this movie and I just have to say this movie got robbed! How on Earth did Argo take best picture?

Picture of the year.
I feel the same!
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post #59 of 171
3/20/13 at 9:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reefdvr27 View Post

We just got done this movie and I just have to say this movie got robbed! How on Earth did Argo take best

ZDT Picture of the year IMO!!

I believe the political controversy regarding the torture scenes hurt this movie's Oscar chances. This is unfortunate, since I did not see this movie as condoning or not condoning torture. Nor did I see this movie as emphatically stating that torture led to finding Bin Laden. Rather, the movie seems to say that diligent behind the scenes CIA analyst work led to finding Bin Laden (regardless of any torture that took place).

So it was probably too much of a political football for the academy.
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post #60 of 171
3/20/13 at 12:48pm
I agree with "caesar1" that the torture scenes hurt this movies chances for an Oscar but the rest of his post I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with. I completely disagree with "ozar". First, Hurt Locker isn't even in the same league as this movie. Second, if I did have a complaint, it wasn't that the first part dragged on and the last part was too short but just the opposite. The first part about the things that led up to the raid could have been longer because it was so interesting and so well done. I thought the raid itself was too slow moving, not necessarily too long, but just too slow moving and that was my only complaint about this movie although I wouldn't really call it a complaint. Great movie and very well put together on every level.

The video was excellent but the audio is what really blew me away. When the bomb went off while Jessica Chastain's character and the other analyst were having a drink I thought the sound of that explosion was the most realistic explosion I've ever heard. It was very crisp yet very deep is the best way I can put it and startled the heck out of me. I don't know how to describe audio but this entire movie sounded very crisp and realistic, more so than any other movie I've watched to this point. I also really liked the way the surround was put together.

No, you didn't oversell Ralph and thanks for another great review.

"JukeBox360", I paid $22.99 for it.


Great movie and a must own Blu Ray in my book!

Al
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