Unfortunately, the Movie fails dismally by suggesting that a fictionalized female character, Maya, almost single-handedly located Bin Laden. This is nonsense. From the moment the first interrogator (not Maya) identified a Bin Laden courier, he was a major focus of ongoing efforts by the CIA and DIA. Moreover, the Movie provides false dialogue stating there were no intelligence assets on the ground near the Bin Laden compound. (Presumably, this was to inflate the importance of the fictionalized Maya character. Interestingly, in Sanskrit, Maya means illusion. Certainly, the inflated importance of the Maya character is illusory Hollywood entertainment.) In truth, there were local intelligence assets on the ground observing the Bin Laden compound for many months or longer. Also, a Pakistani physician risked his life to provide invaluable intelligence on the occupants of the Bin Laden compound. That physician remains in Pakistani prison, after the Obama administration exposed him while bragging about the mission. Moreover, local intelligence assets observed a large, bearded man at the compound, making the identification of Bin Laden almost certain. With their pre-mission surveillance, these assists confirmed that Bin Laden never left the compound, making his presence on the night of the mission almost certain.

The most preposterous claim of the Movie is that Bin Laden was still an effective Al Qaeda leader at the time of his death and killing him would put an end to Al Qaeda. Since, at least, 2005, Bin Laden had been rendered incommunicado and ineffective as a terror leader. Of course, history shows that, even after Bin Laden’s death, Al Qaeda continues to threaten and kill Americans, including our U.S. Ambassador to Libya and citizens around the world. While Bin Laden was an important psychological target for the American public, his death did not represent a major military or counter-terrorism victory. If anything, Bin Laden’s death and rebirth as a spiritual martyr has given new energy and inspiration to Al Qaeda around the world including, among other things, the Al Qaeda-inspired “Arab Spring.” In conclusion, Bigelow had the talent and resources to make a great movie. Instead, she succumbed to her ideological need to create a silly female lead character and implausible script surrounding her. I wish I had gone to see “Django,” instead.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/02/23/when-cin-ma-v-rit-isn-t.html

This movie was really really good. Even my wife, who’s favorite show is Pretty Little Liars thought this movie was fantastic.

In other years it might be a shoe in for best picture, but there seem to be too many AAA movies out there that the Academy tends to love much more like “Le Mis”.