Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
The greatest manhunt in history.
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. Team 6 in May, 2011.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 19 December 2012 |
| Genre | Thriller, Drama |
| Director | Kathryn Bigelow |
| Starring | Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke and Joel Edgerton |
| Runtime | 157 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 8.6/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 91% · Metacritic 95/100 · IMDb 7.4/10 · TMDB users 7.0/10 |
Where to watch Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty is streaming on Netflix ($19.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Paramount+ ($13.99 a month). If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Paramount+ is $13.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 30 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent Zero Dark Thirty on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Zero Dark Thirty in 7 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | ARD/ZDF |
| Czechia | Canal+ |
| Japan | Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Mexico | Tubi |
| Poland | Prime Video 25.99 zł |
| Slovakia | Canal+ |
| South Korea | Netflix ₩13500, Watcha |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Kathryn Bigelow treats a military operation like a horror movie. The 157-minute runtime feels less like a feature and more like a long, cold wait in a windowless room. Jessica Chastain’s Maya doesn’t just track a target; she becomes the target’s obsession, blurring the line between hunter and prey. The film refuses to let you look away, anchoring the entire decade-long hunt in one woman’s unrelenting focus. It is a tense, grinding experience that prioritizes procedural grit over heroic triumph. You will not feel uplifted. You will feel watched.
What the critics said
Critics treated it with the seriousness of a state funeral. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 91% as of 2024, while Metacritic gives it a 95 out of 100 as of 2025. That is a high bar. Manohla Dargis called it a "critics' pick," noting it shows the dark side of the war. Richard Corliss in Time called it a "police procedural on the grand scale." Not everyone agreed. David Denby in The New Yorker praised the craft but faulted the blend of fact and fiction. Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars, criticizing the opening but praising the end.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Zero Dark Thirty.
Sources
- Zero Dark Thirty on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q152531 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Zero Dark Thirty” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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