‘Bourne’ Team Takes a Chance With Iraq War

NY Times ^ | 2/26/2010 | Robert Mackey

[Saije]

NO one doubts that “Green Zone” comes with what Adam Fogelson, the chairman of Universal Pictures, calls an action movie “pedigree.” The film, which opens across the country on March 12, stars Matt Damon and reunites him with Paul Greengrass, the director who brought a propulsive visual style to “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum.” And television ads and trailers promise plenty of suspense, firepower and, of course, fighting in close quarters.

But while “Green Zone” looks and moves much like a Bourne sequel, it also comes with a significant strike against it as a commercial proposition: It’s a movie about the Iraq war, a subject that has proven to be a recipe for box-office disappointment. Set in Baghdad in the chaotic early days of the American occupation, “Green Zone” dramatizes the fruitless hunt for weapons of mass destruction and climaxes on the first night of full-blown insurgency in Iraq. And the film isn’t shy about its politics. “Green Zone” is not an apolitical view of soldiers struggling to survive a grinding war, but a conspiracy thriller that directly addresses the possibility that the war might have been a huge scam, and a botched one at that.

Mr. Greengrass filmed “Green Zone” in Morocco, Spain and England in 2008, and was essentially done editing and scoring the film six months ago. That Universal is releasing it now has led to speculation that it is nervous about recouping its $100 million investment.

[Saije]

Sounds like it could just be some more lefty tripe. I think what Hollywood doesn't get about the Iraq War is that we saw it while it was happening. So unless a movie has something new to tell us or some unusual or interesting way of telling us what we already know (or think we know), nobody's going to want to watch it.

[reasonisfaith]

If they would just make it about the real struggle we face—that of right against wrong—people would watch it.

As it is, all they can make is movies portraying the good guys as evil. That’s why they fail.

[combat_boots]

Matt Damon, flaming lib that he is, disses Bourne but loves the fame and $$ from it. You’d think he’d understand that he gets paid in part because some people believe we need Jason Bournes ‘of a type’ and their skills. But no. He trashes the good guys and is more than willing to stab our military in back any day of the week.

Just because Hollywood wants America to be the bad guys, our military to represent an evil force, and our ideals to be seen worldwide as wicked—doesn’t mean we want these things.

But, we pay their salaries.

Don’t buy your Lake Como houses to make Kerry look better, go slaving after the DC forces intent on destroying our country, or laugh in the face of those who have left you alone to express your open anti-Americanism—and think we won’t notice, vote with our feet, and put away our wallets.

[skeeter]

I just can’t buy into any movie hero who, in reality, is scared of Sarah Palin.

[Hot Tabasco]

Last I knew Bourne went to Greece to meet up with the damsel in distress he saved in his last movie. Can’t that guy stay out of trouble?

[combat_boots]

Damon? Really? I haven’t followed him for awhile.

[OkiMusashi]

I’ve heard enough & I won’t pay one red cent to see this movie.

I’ll save my money for Rummy’s book.

[Touch Not the Cat]

.
BUMP!

[skeeter]

Yeah, but he comes across as a bit dense, if you ask me.

Matt Damon: Sarah Palin Presidency Would Be Like a 'Really Bad Disney Movie'a>

[Soothesayer]

Figures. Matt Damon knows more about movies then...everything else.

[napscoordinator]

I don’t know...The Hurt Locker was phenominal and that was Iraq and there was no politics. It can be done and the “Bourne” movies make huge money so I don’t think they will risk being lefty.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Not another shaky-cam movie! And I hear it’s also grainy. I may just avoid this one altogether.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I wouldn’t even download this crap for free from a torrent tracker.