Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Zero Dark Thirty

Play trailer 2:15 Poster for Zero Dark Thirty R 2013 2h 37m Drama Mystery & Thriller War Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
91% Tomatometer 304 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most-wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the terrorist leader occupies the resources and attention of two U.S. presidential administrations. Ultimately, it is the work of a dedicated female operative (Jessica Chastain) that proves instrumental in finally locating bin Laden. In May 2011, Navy SEALs launch a nighttime strike, killing bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Gripping, suspenseful, and brilliantly crafted, Zero Dark Thirty dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden with intelligence and an eye for detail.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 04/26/2020
4/4
[Zero Dark Thirty] is one of the great cinematic procedurals ever made. Go to Full Review Scott Marks San Diego Reader 10/28/2019
3/5
When it comes to establishing and maintaining tension, there wasn't a better American genre picture released this year. Refrain from viewing it as historical record and you won't leave disappointed. Go to Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/07/2017
A-
... it is Chastain's performance, as restrained as it is powerful, that may just be the cherry atop this massive and meticulous film. Go to Full Review Wael Khairy The Cinephile Fix 12/09/2024
...at the film’s most climatic scene, you’ll forget you’re even watching a movie. Go to Full Review Joseph Tomastik Loud and Clear Reviews 12/08/2024
4/5
Zero Dark Thirty suffers from a story that’s a bit too long, scattered, and cold … but that also works in its favor, because it makes you feel how maddeningly long, scattered, and cold the near-decade-long search for bin Laden must have been. Go to Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies 12/19/2022
3.5/5
Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal may have meant well but make no mistake that Zero Dark Thirty cannot be viewed in the same light after the torture report's release in 2014. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Meloney Nov 12 Really enjoyed seeing this on the big screen. Intense, gripping… a great political thriller. See more Jp P @jppavs Jan 23 An absolute classic! See more Kevin L @Ktmilk Dec 17 Absolutely bogus! We never seen pictures or the body of this piece of crap! I believe he had been blown up a long time ago. I knew it would be a waste of time watching this and I was right. See more Russell H Dec 10 Well acted. A little drawn out but when it was good, it was very good See more Jeff P. @jeffperu Nov 20 Zero Dark Thirty follows Maya, a young CIA analyst tasked with finding Osama bin Laden, and documents her growing obsession with the relentless, decade-long hunt. The film highlights the severe lengths the U.S. government went to in order to locate UBL, depicting interrogation, intelligence gathering, and political maneuvering with a chilling sense of realism. Maya’s unwavering focus becomes the driving force of the story. Her determination is portrayed to perfection. Every scene reinforces her fixation on tracking bin Laden, the lines she is willing to cross, and the personal and professional risks she accepts along the way. Her character embodies the toll of a mission that consumes nearly every part of her life. The film aims for procedural accuracy, showing an “accurate” depiction of the events that ultimately lead to the raid on bin Laden’s compound. Whether every detail is factually true is not for me to decide, but accuracy aside, the film remains a gripping and thrilling ride that stands out among modern war dramas. If the film has a drawback, it’s in its pacing. At times the story slows significantly, and the lengthy investigative sequences can drag on. The movie might have benefited from a tighter runtime to keep the tension at a constant peak. There are stretches where you may find yourself checking the time, waiting for the narrative to move forward. Still, its grounded performances, intense final act, and haunting atmosphere make Zero Dark Thirty one of the most compelling depictions of modern warfare. 80/100 See more Jon G Nov 8 A great movie on the hunt for for Osama Bin Laden. Well written, directed, acted. Worth seeing more than once. See more Read all reviews
Zero Dark Thirty

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Kathryn Bigelow

Director

Jessica Chastain

Maya

Jason Clarke

Dan

Joel Edgerton

Patrick

Jennifer Ehle

Jessica

Mark Strong

George

More Like This

View All
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 51% 83% 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Watchlist TRAILER for 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Boys of Abu Ghraib 30% 59% Boys of Abu Ghraib Watchlist Brothers 63% 62% Brothers Watchlist Eye in the Sky 95% 82% Eye in the Sky Watchlist TRAILER for Eye in the Sky Passion Play 3% 17% Passion Play Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All
New on Netflix in July 2022 87 Fearless Women Movie Heroes Who Inspire Us Digital Multiplex: Zero Dark Thirty and Les Misérables
View All

Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty: Trailer 1 Zero Dark Thirty: Trailer 1 2:15 Zero Dark Thirty: Teaser Trailer Zero Dark Thirty: Teaser Trailer 1:07 View more videos
View All

Zero Dark Thirty

(L-R) Christopher Stanley as Admiral Bill McCraven, Jessica Chastain as Maya and Alex Corbet Burcher in "Zero Dark Thirty." A scene from "Zero Dark Thirty." Jessica Chastain as Maya in "Zero Dark Thirty." (L-R) Chris Pratt as Justin and Joel Edgerton as Patrick in "Zero Dark Thirty." (L-R) Kyle Chandler as Joseph Bradley and Jason Clarke as Dan in "Zero Dark Thirty." A scene from "Zero Dark Thirty." Mark Strong in "Zero Dark Thirty." Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty." Kyle Chandler in "Zero Dark Thirty." A scene from "Zero Dark Thirty." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most-wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the terrorist leader occupies the resources and attention of two U.S. presidential administrations. Ultimately, it is the work of a dedicated female operative (Jessica Chastain) that proves instrumental in finally locating bin Laden. In May 2011, Navy SEALs launch a nighttime strike, killing bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Director
Kathryn Bigelow
Producer
Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison
Screenwriter
Mark Boal
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
First Light Production, Mark Boal, Annapurna Pictures
Rating
R (Language|Brutal Disturbing Images|Strong Violence)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller, War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 11, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 7, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$95.7M
Runtime
2h 37m
Sound Mix
Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital
Most Popular at Home Now