Four years after her success with The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow returns to the War in Iraq with Zero Dark Thirty. And just like in her last movie, Bigelow focuses on a group of people involved in the war effort that may not get as much credit as others. In this case, the movie follows the people responsible for the hunting and killing of Osama bin Laden.

Specifically, the film follows Mia, played by Jessica Chastain, and her slavish dedication to the finding of bin Laden. Chastain is convincing, but there is never enough insight into herself as an individual. Perhaps that is supposed to reflect how the job has consumed her, but I found her lacking in emotion.

The cast also includes Kyle Chandler, James Gandolfini, and Joel Edgerton.

Bigelow has also brought back screenwriter Mark Boal, who penned The Hurt Locker. Boal was a reporter over in the Middle East for many years, so he is able to offer a script that feels authentic and realistic. He makes you believe that this is the actual social and political climate there at the moment. But his script lacks a humanity, as it never explores the depth of its characters; it just assumes that the audience takes there characters at face value.

The strength of this film is the directing, as Bigelow proves once again that she is a master of creating suspense. Just as Ben Affleck made you uncomfortable and worried in Argo, Bigelow does the same, as you never feel that any of these characters are safe at any moment. The final raid on the compound is some of the best 20 minutes of movie this year, and is testament to how effective the medium of film is.

But this movie fails to make the audience care. We already know how the movie is going to end, so the film should focus on its characters. But it doesn’t, it cops out and at times tries to sell to audience that bin Laden may not be found at all. It is too long and ultimately kind of disappointing. Bigelow proves that she’s a fantastic director, but her choice in scripts speaks otherwise