Realistic semi-documentary

Rating: 9/10 (26 February 2015)

Spoiler policy doesn't apply here since we all know the basic story and how it is going to end... unless one has been hibernating for decades?
The merit of this movie is the way the story develops and the way the actors do their stuff.
Maya, (Jessica Chastain) is there from start to finish and becomes so real. We can feel her doubts, her frustrations and achievements. It is a fine performance.
They (US intelligence) are primarily going after Bin Laden. They have a wall covered with photos of his associates, but they all look much the same - Arabic features and big black beards. So, when a detainee (aka a prisoner held without trial) points to one photo and says "he is dead and I helped bury him", the trail seems to have been lost. But then we learn that he has brothers and their mother lives in Kuwait - a place where money can buy anything. For the price of a fancy car, her phone and the phone company is hacked.
Now the spooks can trace all incoming calls from her sons. But it takes some very fancy technology which may, or may not, be real - it doesn't really matter nor spoil the story. The son, who is known, or believed to be the primary courier for Bin Laden (who won't personally go near any phone nor any normal communication method) is also very careful, never uses fixed phones, always moves around a lot, and doesn't even speak to Mum often.
Maya reminds us of the time it is taking by noting the days as they pass on the window of the bosses office. Fortunately for the hunters, the quarry drives a very distinctive vehicle, so they hire dozens of locals to sit around in the streets and tell them when the vehicle passes. And so they see him going to a fortress. Is it Bin Laden's?
More fancy technology from satellites and drones help build a picture, but they are still not sure... possibly... probably? And then, should they simply bomb it flat? No, better to go in and make sure they really have got the right guy.
The actual raid is a bit hard to follow, well, it was dark (Zero Dark Thirty refers to the time of the raid, 0030). There is some green night-vision footage but it is a all a bit of a blur. Perhaps they could have shown us the Navy Seals doing a daytime rehearsal at Area 51 (which I'm sure did happen), but we get the general idea.
A realistic re-enactment of history. Well done Bigelow and all the cast and crew.