Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty has been getting all the attention, but The Weinstein Company has its own 'kill bin Laden' movie, titled Seal Team Six: The Raid On Osama bin Laden, which dramatizes the hunt and death of Osama bin Laden.
Unlike Bigelow's movie, this one aired over the weekend – Sunday, November 4, well-timed, since Harvey Weinstein is a big Obama supporter – on the National Geographic Channel.
Also, this gives his film a bit of a leg-up in the battle of bin Laden movies, since Zero Dark Thirty, which will be heading straight to theaters, is scheduled to be released by Sony Pictures on December 19.
Although I should mention that Seal Team Six (directed by John Stockwell) was actually meant to be released in theaters, but National Geographic made them an offer they couldn't refuse.
And as part of the team, the film stars Cam Gigandet, Anson Mount, Freddy Rodriquez, Kathleen Robertson, Eddie Kay Thomas, Kenneth Miller and the aforementioned Xzibit.
2 days after its TV broadcast world premiere, the film is now available on Netflix (in the USA), as a Watch Instantly feature; which means, for the millions of you with Netflix accounts, you can watch it RIGHT NOW, just a few clicks away.
"While some aspects of the characterizations have been dramatized for creative reasons, the core story is an accurate portrayal of an event that ended the longest manhunt in American history," according to a news release from the NG channel.
And as previously reported, while President Barack Obama doesn't have any acting credits in the film, he reportedly is featured heavily in it.
According to the New York Times, the movie was recut in order to "strengthen Mr. Obama’s role and provide a window into decision-making in the White House," using news and documentary footage.
The film’s director, John Stockwell, as well as TWC and others affiliated with it told the New York Times in an interview that the changes to the film were not politically motivated but were meant to "give the film a stronger sense of realism," apparently thanks to Harvey Weinstein who, as director Stockwell said in a separate statement, “came into the edit room” after buying the rights to the film at Cannes this year, and shared his input on a re-edit that would give it “context" and help "root it in reality.”
Now you can find out for yourselves, by watching it via Netflix streaming.
Watch the trailer below: