An exciting follow-up to the phenomenal "The Hurt Locker"

Rating: 8/10 (23 April 2013)

The Hurt Locker is a hard act to follow, but Bigelow and Boal helm yet another incredible military-political thriller that will leave you glued to your seat. From the eerie beginning to the heart pounding nail biting finale, Zero Dark Thirty is the most intense film of the year, all while being a realistic and incredibly accurate portrayal of the greatest manhunt in history.
A great female lead makes the whole package shine, while a strong supporting brings everything together quite well, even if some of the characters are underdeveloped. The minimalistic yet incredibly effective score from Desplat also is surprising. The portrayals of military and CIA activity are made possible by fantastic sets and a great sense of pacing that slowly builds and never lets up, even after the incredible "compound" scene. Naturally, cinematography and editing are wicked good too.
Zero Dark Thirty only shies from perfection due to the underdeveloped tertiary characters that are important during the middle sections of the film. Then again, that may be what director Kathryn Bigelow may be after. Aside from that niggling issue Zero Dark is a gripping and suspenseful ride. There's barely anything wrong with Zero Dark, so just go see it and experience it for yourself.