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Dirty War is a British docudrama thriller movie set in London in 2003. It follows the gripping story of a terrorist attack that rocked the city and challenged the security forces in the aftermath of 9/11. The film opens with the preparation of Islamic extremist groups to execute a coordinated nuclear attack on civilian targets in London. It then follows the response and struggle of the city's emergency services, police, and government agencies to prevent the overwhelming disaster.

The story is narrated primarily through the perspective of an intrepid BBC reporter, played by Joanne Adams, who takes her crew to cover the story. She illustrates the unfolding chaos and terror, as sirens, explosions, and the screams of panicked civilians punctuate the air. Her approach is earnest and authentic, giving the viewers a palpable sense of the confusion and danger that the city and its inhabitants faced.

The movie emphasizes the different facets of the terror attack that posed daunting challenges for the police, including intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation, logistics, and moral dilemmas. The police officers and their collaborating agencies struggled to identify the mastermind of the attack, assess its magnitude, and contain its spread.

The filmmakers skillfully weave in the human stories of those affected by the attack: police officers, firefighters, and their families, as well as the terrorists and their relatives. They all confront the possibility of death, sharing intimate moments that remind them of why they put their lives at risk for others.

The film highlights the sobering reality of how terrorism can threaten the fundamental values that society cherishes. It shows how governments and agencies need to balance the benefits of intelligence gathering with the sanctity of individual rights and privacy. The characters grapple with the ethical implications of using extraordinary techniques to extract information, including torture.

The movie's direction is taut and pragmatic, drawing upon actual events and real-life testimonies. It demonstrates the relevance of this story to our contemporary situation, as we increasingly face similar threats in our cities with greater sophistication and potential devastation.

One of the exceptional aspects of the movie is its use of visuals and sound. The sound design is impressive, with the use of multi-dimensional audio effects immersing the audience in the terrifying atmosphere. The visuals are choppily edited to give the audience a sense of panic and urgency. This technique effectively conveys the disorienting feeling of the chaos and confusion that resulted from the attack.

The performances are fantastic, with the ensemble cast demonstrating depth, empathy, and intense emotions. Gavin Abbott, who portrays police officer Nick Burke, delivers a compelling performance that captures the bravery, resilience, and vulnerability of the policemen. The actors playing the terrorists mitigate against the temptation to typecast them as simple villains, instead, exploring their motivations and background.

Overall, Dirty War is a harrowing and intelligent movie that masterfully captures the anxieties and fears surrounding terrorism. It presents a realistic and exceptional portrayal of how emergencies and disasters play out in actual life and how different agencies and individuals respond when faced with profound threats to their society.

Dirty War is a 2004 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.