The defining movie of this decade

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2013)

This is perhaps the first review I've written on IMDb for a movie. With all the controversy, people should understand that this movie is as important to movies of this decade as The Wire is to TV shows. I'm sure I will be re-watching The Wire 10 or 20 years from now. Similarly, I am sure that people will re-watch Zero Dark Thirty to understand the hunt for Bin Laden. This movie is better than The Wire in one important way because ZDT brings up many questions without giving clear answers (OTOH, Wire is obviously liberal leaning).
I thought the movie was appropriately paced. We get a good sense of the noise (and occasional personal danger) that the CIA analysts had to penetrate through and how difficult this task is. The opening shot forebodes this movie well: you see Maya flinch a little at the horror of what she's witnessing in the opening scene but she steels herself to continue on. In the midst of the hunt, no one stops to discuss morality. The final scene when Maya finally shows some human emotion, we feel compelled to ask, "Was it worth it?"