Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty
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Name	Zero Dark Thirty
Director	Kathryn Bigelow
Producer	Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Megan Ellison
Writer	Mark Boal
Starring	Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, Édgar Ramírez
Music	Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography	Greig Fraser
Editing	Dylan Tichenor, William Goldenberg
Studio	Annapurna Pictures, First Light Productions
Distributor	Columbia Pictures
Released	19 December 2012
Runtime	157 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$40 million
Gross	$132.8 million

Zero Dark Thirty is a 2012 American neorealist political thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. Chronicling the nearly decade-long international manhunt for Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks, the film culminates in the raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The narrative centers on Maya, a determined CIA intelligence analyst played by Jessica Chastain, whose work becomes pivotal to the mission's success.

Plot

The film opens with a black screen featuring audio from emergency calls during the September 11 attacks. It then follows Maya, a young CIA officer, as she arrives at a black site in Poland where colleague Dan is interrogating detainees. The narrative tracks her relentless pursuit of a courier for Al-Qaeda, which eventually leads the agency to a fortified compound in Abbottabad. After years of bureaucratic skepticism and following key intelligence breakthroughs, the Obama administration authorizes a SEAL Team Six mission, depicted in an extended, detailed sequence of the night raid that results in the death of Osama bin Laden.

Cast

* Jessica Chastain as Maya * Jason Clarke as Dan * Joel Edgerton as Patrick, a DEVGRU team member * Jennifer Ehle as Jessica, a CIA colleague * Mark Strong as George, a CIA section chief * Kyle Chandler as Joseph Bradley, the CIA station chief in Islamabad * Édgar Ramírez as Larry, a Department of Defense operative * Chris Pratt as Justin, a DEVGRU team member * Taylor Kinney as Jared, a SEAL team member * Harold Perrineau as Jack, a CIA analyst * James Gandolfini as Leon Panetta, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency * Stephen Dillane as the National Security Advisor

Production

Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal, who previously collaborated on The Hurt Locker, began developing the project shortly after the death of bin Laden in May 2011. Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures financed the film, with Columbia Pictures handling distribution. Boal conducted extensive research, interviewing numerous members of the intelligence community and military personnel. Principal photography commenced in Chennai, India, and Jodhpur in early 2011, with additional shooting in Kuwait and Jordan; the Abbottabad compound was recreated meticulously in Jordan. Cinematographer Greig Fraser utilized a documentary-style aesthetic, and composer Alexandre Desplat provided the score.

Historical accuracy and controversy

The film sparked significant debate regarding its depiction of "enhanced interrogation" and its role in locating Osama bin Laden. Several U.S. Senators, including John McCain and Dianne Feinstein, criticized the film for suggesting torture was effective, with the Senate Intelligence Committee issuing a statement disputing this portrayal. The CIA and the Obama administration also faced scrutiny for the level of cooperation some officials provided to the filmmakers. Defenders, including Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, argued the film was a dramatization based on extensive reporting, not a documentary.

Release and reception

Zero Dark Thirty had its world premiere at the New York Film Critics Circle awards in December 2012 before a limited theatrical release by Columbia Pictures on December 19, 2012, with a wide release following in January 2013. It grossed over $132 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with particular praise for Kathryn Bigelow's direction, Mark Boal's screenplay, and Jessica Chastain's lead performance. Major publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Variety lauded its tense, procedural filmmaking, though many reviews engaged with the ongoing controversy over its thematic content.

Accolades

The film received numerous awards and nominations. At the 85th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress for Jessica Chastain, Best Original Screenplay for Mark Boal, and won Best Sound Editing (tied with Skyfall). Jessica Chastain won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama and a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress. The film also won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film and was named one of the American Film Institute's top ten films of the year. Kathryn Bigelow received nominations for Directors Guild of America Award and BAFTA Award for Best Direction.