In an era crowded with war films, one has emerged as a definitive standout. IndieWire’s Curation Editor, Wilson Chapman, has compiled a list of the 27 best war movies of the 21st century, highlighting acclaimed titles from Dunkirk to The Hurt Locker. At the very top, however, sits Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, a tense, unflinching chronicle of the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden, the former leader of Al-Qaeda following the September 11 attacks in New York City.

The 2012 film tells the story of Maya, played by Jessica Chastain, who is a determined CIA analyst whose relentless pursuit of intelligence ultimately leads to the al-Qaeda leader’s death. Chastain’s gripping performance earned her second Academy Award nomination, capturing both the intensity and moral complexity of her character.

The film appeared on 95 critics’ top 10 lists for 2012 and received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress, winning for Best Sound Editing (tied with Skyfall). Chastain also won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

Jason Clarke co-stars as a cunning CIA officer, helping bring the procedural elements of the story to life. Bigelow’s direction and Mark Boal’s script create a unique cinematic experience, blending rigorous investigative detail with high-stakes drama. 

The film has received an impressive 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes.  The Critics Consensus reads: “Gripping, suspenseful, and brilliantly crafted, Zero Dark Thirty dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden with intelligence and an eye for detail.”

One person wrote about the film: “Best movie ever. I’d follow Jessica Chastain into a battlefield, a boardroom, or a CIA PowerPoint briefing at 3am. The movie nails that perfect mix of ‘this is horrifying’ and ‘I’ve never been prouder to watch someone succeed.’ Inspiring and intense.”

Someone else called it “outstanding” on IMDb and added: “Zero Dark Thirty is up there as one of the best movies of recent years – For me this movie was really well done. It was a terrifically atmospheric film and the scenes with the helicopters going through the mountains before Abbottabad with the background music was really ‘edge of the seat’ stuff.

“The cast were terrific, and this has to be one of my favourite movies of the last 10 years. The build-up to the final scenes could not have been better and Jessica Chastain’s performance was indeed Oscar worthy. Chastain was well supported by a number of excellent performances, and it was sad that this was one of the last films with James Gandolfini in it.”

Another viewer called it a “masterpiece” and wrote: “Phenomenal film about the CIA’s hunt for 9-11 mastermind Bin Laden who murdered 3,000 innocent people in the World Trade Center attacks.

“This movie is an absolute masterpiece. The way they depict the set of events and details that led to the discovery of Bin Laden’s whereabouts is masterful, and the actors even turn in powerful performances to boot.”