Green Zone

How wonderful to live in a country with freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Even when we're being fed lies, Hollywood can show us a version of the truth without repercussion. "Green Zone" is director Paul Greengrass's attempt reveal the truth about the lack of WMD's in Iraq during the 2003 invasion.

Matt Damon, so good in Mr. Greengrass's "Bourne" films, returns to his action persona as Roy Miller, a soldier who becomes obsessed with learning the truth after his unit fails to find any WMD's on their patrols. As an action hero, Mr. Damon has found his niche and he's always enjoyable to watch. What's not credible is how easily he can go rogue and act on his own without any question from his superiors of his actions or whereabouts.

The film has a pedigree cast including Amy Ryan as a journalist who finds herself being used as a pawn in a massive cover-up, Greg Kinnear as the sleazy government official manipulating the truth, Brendon Gleeson as the CIA officer who wants real answers, and an almost unrecognizable Jason Isaacs as a nasty Special Forces officer.

The film doesn't pull punches of our government at the time but sometimes the truth hurts. Politics aside, the film hits the ground running and zips by at a frenetic pace, leading up to an exciting chase scene at the end. Mr. Greengrass is a terrific action director who loves hand held cameras but the headache producing dizzy action is the price you pay for "you are there" realism.