Greengrass investigates the birth of the war in Iraq

Director Paul Greengrass has made a name as a filmmaker unafraid to engage with controversial subject matter. His previous films have dealt with terrorism in Ireland and the 9/11 failed hijacking of United flight 93. "Green Zone" offers a scathing critique of the questionable rationale behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The film is not entirely factual, but because of what we now know it’s difficult to read it any other way. Weapons of mass destruction were never found but the solider and civilian casualties abound as the seemingly endless war rages on.

Damon plays Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller, initially assigned to locate the WMDs. After countless searches that yield only toilets and pigeon droppings, Miller voices his concern that the intelligence must be faulty. U.S. Intel agent Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear) tells him to shut up and do his job. CIA agent Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) urges him to dig deeper.

We see the dangerous monotony of soldier life in Iraq: aimlessly digging holes followed by sniper shots and an outbreak of street violence.

A story of this magnitude should entail a convoluted plot and too many characters to keep track of, but Greengrass wisely whittles his film down to the essentials. Lawrie Dayne (Amy Ryan) is reporter spreading dubious news and trying to track down a source.

Freddy (Khalid Abdalla), an Iraqi ally with questionable motives, provides translation for Miller. Iraqi General Al Rawi (Igal Naor) supplies the answer to the supreme mystery: do the weapons exist?

The film moves quickly between scenes and shots as Greengrass makes much use of his trademark hand held camera. The camera movements create the feel of perpetual action but are never dizzying because the story unfolds so seamlessly.

Some critics may say this subject matter is outdated, others may argue that the evidence of WMDs was never fabricated. Criticisms aside, "Green Zone" is relevant in its asking of the important questions and great because it answers them amidst thrilling sequences of war. It is rare for a movie to merge action and political criticism and do it so well.