'What I want you to know is that Zero Dark Thirty is a dramatization, not a realistic portrayal of the facts,' Michael Morell wrote to his CIA personnel.
- December 23, 2012
AceShowbiz -
More protests came for Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty (2012)" even after she insisted that people had "misinterpreted" the movie. The latest who pointed out its inaccuracy in an open letter is acting CIA director Michael Morell.
"I would not normally comment on a Hollywood film, but I think it important to put Zero Dark Thirty, which deals with one of the most significant achievements in our history, into some context," Morell began. The film graphically depicts CIA officers repeatedly torturing detainees and then credits these detainees with providing critical lead information on the courier that led to the Osama Bin Laden.
Morell thought the movie "takes significant artistic license, while portraying itself as being historically accurate. ...What I want you to know is that Zero Dark Thirty is a dramatization, not a realistic portrayal of the facts. CIA interacted with the filmmakers through our Office of Public Affairs but, as is true with any entertainment project with which we interact, we do not control the final product."
He also pointed out that the movie departs from reality and that the interrogation technique is "false". He reminded his CIA personnel that the movie is "not a documentary".
"Zero Dark Thirty", which opened in selected theaters on December 19, has faced similar criticisms from former presidential candidate John McCain and other senators.
