Kyle Chandler in 'Zero Dark Thirty'Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
By
Rahul Malhotra
Published 34 minutes ago
Rahul Malhotra is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.
He has been writing for Collider for over two years, and has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal to introduce audiences to a whole new world of cinema.
Swing and a miss > measured victory. Also, #JusticeForHan. (He/Him). Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapAudiences in the mood for more of Kathryn Bigelow's cinema after A House of Dynamite are in luck; her 2012 release, Zero Dark Thirty, is all set to debut on Netflix next month. The epic film, considered one of the best political thrillers ever, traces the global manhunt for Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 terror attacks. Jessica Chastain stars in the lead role of Maya, a composite character based on several CIA operatives who played a role in finding out where the Al-Qaeda leader was hiding. Zero Dark Thirty was a critical and commercial hit, concluding with a memorable nighttime raid sequence which features a whole new set of characters.
Released in 2012, the film earned around $130 million worldwide against a reported budget of around $50 million. Zero Dark Thirty also earned five Oscar nods, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Chastain. She anchored the movie almost entirely on her shoulders, with a star-studded supporting cast including Kyle Chandler, James Gandolfini, Mark Strong, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle, and Chris Pratt. Interestingly, Zero Dark Thirty marked Pratt's first real action role; he played a member of the SEAL Team 6 that raided bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan.
The film opened to excellent reviews, and is now sitting at a "certified fresh" 91% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with particular praise being directed at Chastain's performance, the gripping narrative, and Mark Boal's well-researched script. The website's consensus reads, "Gripping, suspenseful, and brilliantly crafted, Zero Dark Thirty dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden with intelligence and an eye for detail." Zero Dark Thirty marked Bigelow's follow-up to the Best Picture and Best Director-winning The Hurt Locker, and attracted controversy for its portrayal of torture perpetrated by the CIA.
Kathryn Bigelow Is No Stranger to Political Backlash
Bigelow went on to make the thriller Detroit in 2017, which underperformed at the box office and attracted similar controversy over its depiction of police brutality. Her latest film, A House of Dynamite, proved to be controversial as well, to the point that its speculative plot prompted reactions from both The Pentagon and Donald Trump. A House of Dynamite opened to mostly positive reviews, and is available to stream on Netflix, which is where Zero Dark Thirty will also debut on December 1.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Zero Dark Thirty
Like R History Thriller Drama Release Date December 19, 2012 Runtime 157 Minutes Director Kathryn Bigelow Writers Mark BoalCast
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Jessica Chastain
Maya
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Jason Clarke
Dan
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.
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