Zero Dark Thirty

  • 15
  • Kathryn Bigelow (2012)
  • US
  • 156 min
Film Review
Reviewed By
4 out of 5

The hunt for Osama Bin Laden is catalogued in forensic detail in this wordy but well-paced thriller from the makers of the Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker. Driven CIA operative Maya (Jessica Chastain) follows every small lead across the globe while attempting to track down the al-Qaeda figurehead, frequently locking horns with her superiors back in the United States. With the aid of on-screen timeline and location captions, director Kathryn Bigelow skilfully manages to present a cohesive narrative out of potentially confusing material, which includes scenes of torture that have provoked widespread controversy. Chastain's performance occasionally veers towards the histrionic, but her character (largely inspired by a real undercover female agent) gives the film a strong human centre as events lead up to the thrilling assault on Bin Laden's hideout.

Cast and crew

Cast

Maya
Jessica Chastain
Dan
Jason Clarke (2)
Patrick, squadron team leader
Joel Edgerton
Jessica
Jennifer Ehle
George
Mark Strong
Joseph Bradley
Kyle Chandler
Larry
Edgar Ramirez
CIA director
James Gandolfini
Jack
Harold Perrineau
National security advisor
Stephen Dillane
Jeremy
John Barrowman
John
Scott Adkins
Steve
Mark Duplass
Tim, station chief
Daniel Lapaine

Crew

Director
Kathryn Bigelow

Other Information

Language: 
English
Colour
Theatrical distributor: 
Universal
Guidance: 
Violence, swearing.
Released 25 Jan 2013

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