There's not much to the poster for Zero Dark Thirty, but that isn't to say that it's one of the most compelling. To start off with, the primary colors of black and white symbolically connote a conflict between good versus evil which if that interpretation is to be true, is suitably Hollywood. Moreover, black to me has connotations of danger, secrecy and death, all of which make this political thriller all the more fascinating. The tagline is just intriguing; the language is direct and clipped, getting the point accross in a sort and snappy way. It also compel's the viewer because it goes against audience expectation: who would expect this single woman to go after Bin Laden, especially in what is presumably a line of work that is macho and male-dominated. I guess, in that way, the poster caters for a female audience, whilst still being thrilling enough to attract guys. Zero Dark Thirty is, if I remember correctly, a codeword for something military-related; the fact that our protagonist's face is a part of the title metaphorically connotes that she is the mastermind behind the mission. Moreover, in terms of mise-en-scene, her glasses connotes a sense of secrecy and determination. Looking off into the distance, the audience is intrigued as to what it is she's looking at. On top of this, the poster also smartly avoids controversy, choosing to remain sophisticated. The poster avoids mention of Bin Laden himself, skirting anything that may come accross as disrespectful by giving publicity to his name, a name that is, I'm certain, loathed in America. The designer wants to emphasise how the films true theme lies in this women and her attempts for justice. Therefore, I appreciate how this poster has been designed and, in spite of its minimalism, it still retains this writer's interest.
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