Zero Dark Thirty

Director Kathryn Bigelow traces the long hunt for Osama Bin Laden in this Oscar-nominated true-life thriller, concentrating on the arduous and often frustrating process of tracking down the elusive orchestrator of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Beginning with a dark screen and emotional sound-bites of phone calls from terrified people trapped in the Twin Towers on that terrible morning, Zero Dark Thirty segues two years ahead to Pakistan, where a captured prisoner is brutally interrogated and sexually humiliated. Single-minded CIA analyst Maya (Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain) is patiently gathering and diligently collating scraps of information from various sources. Over a long period, she gradually becomes convinced that, contrary to the opinion of the dismissive men who outrank her, Bin Laden is not hiding in a cave somewhere in the hills, but instead has taken refuge in a suburban compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he continues to mastermind Al Qaeda operations. Although no one else is as sure as she is--including top-level Washington operatives—Maya's unwavering determination prevails in the decision-making process. The title is military jargon for 12:30 a.m., when Navy SEALS raided the compound on May 2, 2011. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the production featurettes “The Compound” (10 min.) and “Geared Up” (7 min.), “Targeting Jessica Chastain” on the costar (6 min.), and the brief making-of “No Small Feat” (4 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a modest extras package for one of 2012's best films.] (S. Granger)