Exploring and honoring the sacrifices and exploits of those involved in the most dangerous job in the world, the best Navy SEAL movies tell some of the most compelling military-centric stories. From inspiring feats of bravery to heart-pounding depictions of real-life military missions, Navy SEAL movies explore it all. Many of these movies also delve deeper into the personal lives of their central Navy SEAL characters, including those based on real people, highlighting how their high-stakes jobs impact their day-to-day off-duty lives.
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Some of these films even dig into important didactic themes surrounding the traumas, extreme perils, and moral dilemmas the Navy SEALs face during their immensely challenging military operations, making for some of the best military movies. Meanwhile, there are a few others that walk viewers through the intense training and mental fortitude it takes to become as calloused as a Navy SEAL. With so many prospective narratives surrounding the lives of Navy SEALs, it is not surprising that there are many riveting movies about the people involved in the special operations force.
15 Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (2011)
Navy SEALs Battle Decepticons
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7/10 Transformers: Dark of the Moon PG-13ActionAdventure Sci-Fi
The third installment in the Transformers franchise, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, sees Shia LaBeouf reprise his role as Sam Witwicky. When technology powerful enough to recreate their home planet of Cybertron on Earth is discovered abandoned on the Moon, the Decepticons and the Autobots fight to gain control of it. With humanity caught in the middle of the machines’ ancient war, Sam must do whatever he can to stop the Decepticons.
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*Availability in US Director Michael Bay Release Date June 30, 2011 Cast Rosie Huntington-Whiteley , Megan Fox , Patrick Dempsey , Shia LaBeouf , Tyrese Gibson , Josh Duhamel , Kevin Dunn , John Malkovich , Frances McDormand Runtime 154 Minutes
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Even in a giant sci-fi world like the one seen in the Transformers franchise, Navy SEALs can still play a role in the story. Transformers: Dark of the Moon dives deeper into the Transformers mythology with the discovery of a secret hidden on Earth’s moon, which sends the Autobots and Decepticons in a race to control the ultimate weapon. The climax of the movie sees the heroic Transformers working alongside human Navy SEALs to infiltrate a downtown city that the Decepticons have taken control of.
Michael Bay’s films have a reputation for being bombastic and over-the-top, but he is also known for including real military aspects to make for an authentic action movie. Even in the Transformers universe, this is the case as the soldiers are seen carrying out believable techniques to sneak attack their enemy. Some real-life Navy SEALs are even included in the cast, including Mikal Vega as Hooch.
14 Hunter Killer (2018)
Navy SEALs Must Rescue The President Of Russia
Hunter Killer RActionThriller
Hunter Killer is an action thriller starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman. The movie revolves around a Navy SEAL crew who work together to rescue the kidnapped Russian President. Despite having Butler and Oldman attached, Hunter Killer was poorly received, with many calling it a typical action flick that didn’t provide the genre with anything new.
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*Availability in US Director Donovan Marsh Release Date October 26, 2018 Cast Toby Stephens , Gerard Butler , Linda Cardellini , Common , Gary Oldman Runtime 122minutes
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One of the most common aspects of Navy SEALs being depicted in movies is seeing them take on rescue missions. However, few movies have given the brave soldiers a rescue mission like the one in Hunter Killer. The movie depicts a coup within the Russian government with the President of Russia being taken captive by a rogue minister in his own administration. With World War III threatening to ignite, the United States military stages a play to have a submarine captain (Gerard Butler) transport Navy SEALs into Russian waters to rescue the president.
Butler’s action movies are often fun, albeit unrealistic, and Hunter Killer is no different. However, while the premise is admittedly silly, it does depict its Navy SEALs characters with respect and in a fairly grounded way. Even with such a delicate rescue mission, the soldiers remain professional and determined to get the job done.
13 The Rock (1996)
A Mission To Infiltrate Alcatraz
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9/10 The Rock RThrillerActionAdventure
The Rock is a 1996 action film from director Michael Bay. The story revolves around a chemist named Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) and John Mason (Sean Connery), an ex-con who escaped from Alcatraz, who are tasked to lead a counterstrike to protect San Francisco from a lethal nerve gas attack.
Director Michael Bay Release Date June 7, 1996 Cast John C. McGinley , Sean Connery , David Morse , Nicolas Cage , Michael Biehn , William Forsythe , Vanessa Marcil , Ed Harris , Tony Todd , John Spencer Runtime 136 minutes
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Another Michael Bay movie includes Navy SEALs as a big part of its story, albeit with a twist. The Rock is an epic 1990s action picture centered on a rogue military officer who leads a band of mercenaries to take hostages at Alcatraz Island and demand a ransom or else they will unleash a deadly bioweapon on San Francisco. It is then up to a biochemist (Nicolas Cage), a former Alcatraz inmate (Sean Connery), and a team of SEALs to infiltrate the island and save the day.
The team of SEALs are shown to be incredibly skilled and brave soldiers taking part in a near-impossible mission under the leadership of Commander Anderson (Michael Biehn). However, the movie throws an effective twist at the audience as the SEALs are completely taken out by the villains almost immediately, leaving Cage and Connery as the only ones left to save the day.
12 Captain Phillips (2013)
Tom Hanks Is Taken By Somali Pirates
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8/10 Captain Phillips PG-13BiographyActionCrime
Starring Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips tells the story of the titular captain whose cargo ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. A fictionalized version of real-life events, the film follows Captain Phillips and his crew as they fight for their lives against a group of Somali pirates led by Abduwali Muse. Besides Hanks, Barkhad Abdi and Catherine Keener also star.
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*Availability in US Director Paul Greengrass Release Date October 11, 2013 Cast Tom Hanks , Barkhad Abdi , Barkhad Abdirahman , Catherine Keener , Faysal Ahmed , Mahat M. Ali , Michael Chernus , David Warshofsky Runtime 134 Minutes
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It is always interesting to see real-life missions that Navy SEALs have carried out depicted in movies. Captain Phillips is one such movie as it showcases an intense high-seas rescue mission. Tom Hanks stars as the titular character, a ship’s captain who finds his vessel taken over by Somali pirates. Wanting to spare his crew from any danger, he volunteers to go with the pirates as a hostage while the American military attempts to mount a rescue mission.
The movie is a thrill ride early on with the hijacking of the ship making for a particularly memorable sequence. However, things really escalate when Phillips is taken and the Navy SEALs get involved. The movie cuts back and forth between Phillips in his harrowing hostage situation and the SEALs coming up with a plan to save him with Max Martini as the SEAL Team Six commander.
11 Thirteen Lives (2022)
The Real-Life Thai Cave Rescue
Thirteen Lives PG-13ActionBiographyAdventure
Thirteen Lives is a Ron Howard-directed survival film that is based on the Thaum Luang cave rescue that took place in 2018. The film centers on a young soccer team and their coach who become trapped in a system of flooding underground caves in Thailand. Viggo Mortensen stars alongside Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton.
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*Availability in US Director Ron Howard Release Date July 29, 2022 Cast Sukollawat Kanarot , Tom Bateman , Joel Edgerton , Viggo Mortensen , Colin Farrell Runtime 147 minutes
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Another real-life rescue mission from the Navy SEALs is depicted in the thriller drama Thirteen Lives. From director Ron Howard, Thirteen Lives tells the true 2018 story in which a soccer team of 12 young boys and their coach were visiting a cave in Thailand when heavy rain caused the cave to flood, trapping them inside. With time running out, a complicated and dangerous rescue mission was mounted which consisted of collaborations between Thai Navy SEALs and British cave divers.
While big names like Colin Farrell and Viggo Mortensen are at the forefront of the story as the divers, the movie heavily features the Thai SEALs who were instrumental in saving all of the trapped victims. Howard creates a truly pulse-pounding thriller that is also a celebration of sharp and dedicated minds working together to make a difference.
10 Act Of Valor (2012)
A Group Of SEALs Lead A Rescue Mission
Act of Valor RActionThrillerWar
Act of Valor is a 2012 action film that employs active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs in its cast, providing an authentic portrayal of a military operation. The film follows a team of SEALs as they undertake a covert mission to rescue a kidnapped CIA operative while thwarting a terrorist plot. Directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, Act of Valor blends real-life military tactics with fictional storytelling.
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*Availability in US Director Mike McCoy , Scott Waugh Release Date February 24, 2012 Runtime 111 minutes Cast Alexander Asefa , Drea Castro , Jason Cottle , Aurelius DiBarsanti , Timothy Gibbs , Carla Jimenez
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Act of Valor does not try too hard to stand out and elevate itself above the regular fare of military movies. Instead, it presents a conventional narrative where it shows how a group of Navy SEALs go on a mission to save lives during a terrorist threat. The plot sees a terrorist assassinate a U.S. Ambassador and several children at a school. SEAL Team 7 is then sent to Costa Rica to save a CIA officer captured by a drug smuggler. It is there that they learn that the drug smuggler and terrorist are working together.
Despite being predictable, Act of Valor is entertaining because it conforms to some of the best conventions of the genre and fills its runtime with crowd-pleasing twists, action scenes, and training sequences. Act of Valor was also highly realistic, with actual SEALs and SWCC signed to star in the film and the Navy SEALs on board as advisors.
9 G.I. Jane (1997)
A Female SEAL Overcomes Adversity In The Training Program
G.I. Jane RDramaAction
G.I. Jane follows the grueling experience of Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, played by Demi Moore, the first woman to undergo training in the U.S. Navy SEAL program. Facing extreme physical and mental challenges, the film highlights her fight against institutional sexism and personal limits.
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*Availability in US Release Date August 22, 1997 Runtime 125 minutes Main Genre Action Director Ridley Scott Cast Demi Moore , Viggo Mortensen , Anne Bancroft , Jason Beghe , Morris Chestnut , Josh Hopkins , Jim Caviezel , Boyd Kestner , Kevin Gage , David Warshofsky
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Directed by Ridley Scott, G.I. Jane follows Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil (Demi Moore), who becomes a trial candidate for a U.S. Navy initiative that eventually intends to integrate women into the services. The challenging training program pushes Jordan to her limits, and the commander, John James Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen), intentionally makes it even more grueling for her. However, she eventually proves everyone wrong by defying all odds and clearing the program.
G.I. Jane is best when it focuses primarily on O’Neil’s struggles and strong will to survive her training. However, the movie’s empowering themes get weighed down by its nationalist tropes and uneven pace. Despite this, G.I. Jane was popular, sitting at number one for two straight weeks and finishing its run with a $48.2 million box office take, which ended up as a loss. It also received mixed reviews, with a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score.
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8 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi (2016)
The True Story Of The Annex Security Team
13 Hours RDramaActionHistoryThrillerWar
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a biographical action movie based on a Mitchell Zuckoff book of the same name. Its narrative centers around six Annex Security Team members who defended an American diplomatic compound in Libya from waves of militant attacks in September of 2012. attacks The movie had a budget of around $50m and was filmed predominantly in Malta and Morocco.
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*Availability in US Release Date January 14, 2016 Runtime 144 Minutes Director Michael Bay Cast David Giuntoli , Pablo Schreiber , Max Martini , John Krasinski , David Costabile , Freddie Stroma , James Badge Dale , David Denman , Toby Stephens
Based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s 2014 book of the same name, the true story of13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi focuses on the Annex Security Team’s six members, which included two US Navy SEALs, Jack Silva (John Krasinski) and Tyrone S. “Rone” Woods (James Badge Dale). Set in Benghazi, Libya, the movie shows how the team defended the American diplomatic compound on September 11, 2012, when militant attacks erupted in the region.
Since 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a Michael Bay vehicle, it was ensured to have giant action scenes, making it an exciting movie at least. However, it ended up as one of Bay’s worst-performing films at the box office amidst mixed reviews. Part of the problem came with questions about its historical accuracy, with the “stand down” order hotly debated (via Politico).
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7 Without Remorse (2021)
A Rogue SEAL Seeks Revenge
Without Remorse RActionAdventureCrime
Without Remorse is a Prime Video original starring Michael B. Jordan as a Navy SEAL who seeks revenge after his wife is murdered. However, during his journey, he discovers a larger conspiracy. Michael B. Jordan stars as John Kelly alongside Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, and Lauren London.
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*Availability in US Release Date April 30, 2021 Runtime 109minutes Director Stefano Sollima Cast Guy Pearce , Jamie Bell , Colman Domingo , Jacob Scipio , Michael B. Jordan , Brett Gelman , Jodie Turner-Smith , Lauren London , Jack Kesy
Stefano Sollima’s Without Remorse adapts Tom Clancy’s 1983 book in which a U.S. Navy SEAL, John Kelly, walks down the path of vengeance when Russian hitmen murder his pregnant wife and former unit members. The movie is based on a book spinoff from the Jack Ryan series, as John Kelly also appeared in two films, with Willem Dafoe playing him in Clear and Present Danger and Liev Schreiber in The Sum of All Fears. Without Remorse presents Kelly’s basic origin story.
Before releasing in 2021,
Without Remorse
had been in development hell since the novel was first published, and many actors like Keanu Reeves and Tom Hardy were considered to play John Kelly.
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Before releasing in 2021, Without Remorse had been in development hell since the novel was first published, and many actors like Keanu Reeves and Tom Hardy were considered to play John Kelly. Michael B. Jordan won the role and delivered as both a compelling action hero and overall leading man. Unfortunately, the Tom Clancy adaptation mostly received negative reviews from critics because of its formulaic approach to the genre.
6 Tears Of The Sun (2003)
Bruce Willis Leads A Rescue Mission
Tears of the Sun RActionDramaThrillerWar
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*Availability in US Runtime 121 Minutes Director Antoine Fuqua Main Genre Action Release Date March 7, 2003 Cast Bruce Willis , Monica Bellucci , Cole Hauser , Jimmy Jean-Lous , Eamonn Walker , Johnny Messner
Antoine Fuqua is an acclaimed action director behind movies like Training Day and The Equalizer movies, so it was a thrill to see him team up with one of the biggest action stars of all time for an intense Navy SEALs movie. Bruce Willis stars in Tears of the Sun as the leader of a group of SEALs who are tasked with entering Nigeria during a coup to extract a doctor serving at a hospital.
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With the rebel forces closing in, the doctor (played by Monica Bellucci) insists the SEALs help get the patients to safety as well. The movie derives much of its great drama from the moral dilemma that the soldiers face on their mission. Though they have strict orders not to interfere with the actual fighting, the brutality of what they see pushes them to act. Though it is not as deep as it makes itself out to be, in the hands of Fuqua, Tears of the Sun is a stylish and thrilling action movie.
5 The Abyss (1989)
James Cameron’s Sci-Fi Drama
The Abyss PG-13MysteryThrillerAdventureDrama Sci-Fi
The Abyss is James Cameron’s fourth feature film and his second water-themed movie. Starring Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, the 1989 drama that revolves around a team of oil workers and Navy SEALs who face a mysterious alien race at the bottom of the ocean.
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*Availability in US Release Date August 9, 1989 Runtime 140 minutes Director James Cameron
While most other Navy SEAL-focused films have patriotic themes, James Cameron’s The Abyss is a science fiction movie with Lovecraftian underpinnings. It focuses on Navy SEAL Lieutenant Hiram Coffey (Michael Biehn), who accompanies formerly married petroleum engineers Bud (Ed Harris) and Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) on a mission to recover a mysteriously sunken nuclear sub. However, what they find in the deep is far more terrifying and eerie than anticipated.
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Like most James Cameron films, The Abyss is visually spectacular and was shot using groundbreaking techniques and technology. It was also the movie that helped Cameron fall in love with deep ocean cinematography, which led to him making Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) and Aliens of the Deep (2005). As for the SEALs in The Abyss, they are mostly there to interfere and keep Bud and Lindsey from making contact with the aliens.
4 Under Siege (1992)
A Steven Seagal Action Movie
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Under Siege RActionThriller
Under Siege is an action-thriller film starring Steven Seagal as Casey Ryback, a former Navy SEAL and cook on the USS Missouri, who must stop a group of terrorists led by William Strannix, played by Tommy Lee Jones, who have taken control of the ship.
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*Availability in US Release Date October 9, 1992 Director Andrew Davis Cast Steven Seagal , Tommy Lee Jones , Gary Busey , Erika Eleniak , Colm Meaney , Patrick O’Neal , Andy Romano , Dale Dye
Often touted as Steven Seagal’s best movie, Under Seige received immense critical acclaim after its release in 1992 and even earned two Academy Award nominations (both for sound). From a commercial standpoint, the movie was a roaring success, grossing over $150 million internationally with a $35 million budget (via Black Belt). Under Seige introduces the legendary U.S. battleship, the U.S.S. Missouri, which is about to get decommissioned. However, chaos breaks loose when terrorists take over the ship with the plan of selling it abroad.
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Little do they realize that former Navy SEAL captain Casey Ryback (Seagal) is on board, and he will stop at nothing to end their mission. A solid Die Hard ripoff, the movie is elevated by memorable villains played by Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey, both actors stealing every scene they appear in.
3 Lone Survivor (2013)
The True Story Of A SEAL Tragedy
Lone Survivor RWarAction
Lone Survivor is a dramatization of the United States Navy SEALs’ Operation Red Wing, an unsuccessful military operation that aimed to track down the leader of the Taliban. The film follows the four-man SEAL team, and the danger and psychological strain they faced on their mission.
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*Availability in US Release Date December 25, 2013 Cast Mark Wahlberg , Taylor Kitsch , Emile Hirsch , Ben Foster , Eric Bana , Ali Suliman Runtime 121 minutes Director Peter Berg
Set in Afghanistan in 2005, Lone Survivor tells the true story of Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell, Michael Murphy, Danny Dietz, and Matthew “Axe” Axelson, who get deployed on a mission to kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. However, their mission takes a dangerous turn when an Afghan goatherd reports their arrival to the opposition. The four men find themselves outnumbered by the enemy forces with nowhere left to go.
The film was both a box office hit ($154.8 million on a $40 million budget, via
Box Office Mojo
) and critical success (75% on
Rotten Tomatoes
).
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Lone Survivor ingeniously utilizes the military movie subgenre’s best conventions by brewing an awe-inspiring and heartbreaking tale of heroism. It is a brutal and harrowing fight for survival with some gut-wrenching twists, though the film’s title slightly spoils the ending. However, thanks to great performances by Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, and Ben Foster, the film was both a box office hit ($154.8 million on a $40 million budget, via Box Office Mojo) and critical success (75% on Rotten Tomatoes). It also earned two Oscar nominations, both for sound.
2 American Sniper (2014)
A Navy SEAL Biopic
American Sniper RBiographyDramaActionWar
American Sniper is based on the true story of U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and his tour of duty in Iraq. The film explores his legendary career on the field as he battles hidden in enemy lines to protect his brothers in arms despite the growing bounty on his head and the havoc it wreaked on his personal life.
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*Availability in US Release Date December 25, 2014 Writers Jason Hall Runtime 132minutes Cast Bradley Cooper , Sienna Miller , E.R. Ruiz , Luke Grimes , Jake McDorman , Max Charles
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Directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper is a biopic loosely based on Chris Kyle’s memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. Featuring Bradley Cooper as Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle, the movie shows how, despite being a legend on the battlefield, Kyle struggles to adapt and live with his family when he returns home after four tours of duty.
|
American Sniper Academy Award Nominations |
|
|---|---|
|
Category |
Result |
|
Best Picture |
Lost to Birdman |
|
Best Actor (Bradley Cooper) |
Lost to Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) |
|
Best Adapted Screenplay (Jason Hall) |
Lost to Graham Moore (The Imitation Game) |
|
Best Sound Editing (Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman) |
Won |
|
Best Sound Mixing (John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, and Walt Martin) |
Lost to Craig Man, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley (Whiplash) |
|
Best Film Editing (Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach) |
Lost to Tom Cross (Whiplash) |
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While American Sniper was initially a subject of intense debate due to its portrayal of the Iraq War, it was showered with praise from viewers and critics for Bradley Cooper’s brilliant performance and Clint Eastwood’s directorial abilities. The movie was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Actor (for Cooper) and Best Picture (it only won for Best Sound Editing). It was also a huge box office success, making over $547 million on an almost $59 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).
1 Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
The Hunt For Bin Laden
Zero Dark Thirty RHistoryThrillerDrama
From Academy Award-Winning director Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty is a fictionalized dramatization of the manhunt for Osama bin Laden after the September 11th attacks. Jessica Chastain stars as Maya Harris, a CIA analyst tasked with locating bin Laden in order for the US Government to assassinate him. Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, and Mark Strong also star.
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*Availability in US Release Date December 19, 2012 Runtime 157minutes Director Kathryn Bigelow Cast Joel Edgerton , Jessica Chastain , Jason Clarke , Kyle Chandler , Chris Pratt2 , Jennifer Ehle
Although Zero Dark Thirty primarily focuses on a group of C.I.A. operatives who set out on a decade-long hunt to track Osama bin Laden, the movie features some of the most realistic Navy SEAL scenes in its closing arc. Its ending is predictable in the sense that the world already knows that the Navy SEAL Team 6 killed the al-Qaeda terrorist leader in May 2011. Zero Dark Thirty‘s story leads up to showing that exact moment in history.
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The
Zero Dark Thirty
scene highlights how reality can often be more captivating than fiction.
However, what still makes it compelling is how Zero Dark Thirty meticulously walks through the protocol the SEALs follow to enter the compound and kill the terrorist. With no background scores or unnecessary dramatization, the Zero Dark Thirty scene highlights how reality can often be more captivating than fiction. It was devastating and frightening as they meticulously moved in and assassinated bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty received five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress (Jessica Chastain).