Before we jump into the category of movies that are similar to Zero Dark Thirty, let’s know a bit about that film. Zero Dark Thirty is an American thriller film that was released in 2012. The story is all about Osama bin Laden. The efforts to find him after the September 11 attacks The plot of the story is about Maya Harris, who is in charge of finding Osama bin Laden.
The plot of this film is based on a true-life incident and the efforts made by the police and CIA team to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Somehow the film was able to capture the entire scene in such a way that it might have looked like a real moment that happened during the time of the capture. The film was entirely based on how it was gracefully directed and captured through the characters’ portrayals of the event.
The film received critical acclaim for its acting, location, direction, and screenplay, as well as for its editing. It also became a box office success, with a gross net amount of $132 million worldwide. Now that we know what Zero Dark Thirty is all about Let’s jump into movies like Zero Like Thirty.
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1. 4 months 3 weeks and 2 days
After experiencing the squalor of 4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days for yourself, you may come to a very different conclusion on this topic. Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasilu play Otilia and Gabriela, two students from a tiny town living in the grim realities of communist Romania in the late 1980s, under the iron fist of Stalinist tyrant Nicolae Ceaușescu.
Otilia offers her assistance to Gabriela as she undergoes an illegal abortion with the aid of a man named Bebe in a seedy hotel room. Their precarious situations soon escalate from terrible to horrifying when things don’t go as planned. Director Cristian Mungiu’s technical mastery, along with the film’s genuine narrative and powerful acting, will make you feel every bit as desperate as the two women on screen.
It’s easy to see why it received the top prize at Cannes that year. So after seeing this movie, you might ask yourself, “How far will you go for your friendship?” But don’t make the same mistake that the movie poster suggests.
2. 12 Strong
It is a story after 9/11 where the protagonist has been selected to work as a soldier—Nelson Mitch chose to be in the special force of the Afghans who are in charge of tracking down the Taliban and Al Queda. As the movie begins, they thought the situation might be different, but when they arrived, they realized that they were in the middle of a battleground drenched in blood. Nelson and his teammate found themselves drenched in blood. This movie is considered to be action-packed, and that will make you leave your seat until you find out what happened.
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3. The Kingdom
The Kingdom and one other selection on this list are not biographical in nature but instead create a fictitious scenario. With Jamie Foxx at the helm, the film features an ensemble of A-listers and up-and-comers as well as seasoned pros in a high-stakes political thriller that never loses sight of the emotional stakes at risk. The Kingdom packs a lot of punch into its brisk 109 minutes, making it a good option for those who enjoy movies like Zero Dark Thirty but would rather have more fireworks and a faster, looser interpretation of the facts.
4. 6 days
6 Days is a thriller film that is based on the Irani Embassy Siege in London. The story follows the real incident that took place. On April 30, 1980, the Irani group took 26 hostages in the area around Prinston, London. The higher authority of the SAS and other members were informed about it over time, but nothing happened. After the incident took place, the authorities received a call from the group with a demand to release the Arab prisoners in Iraq or else they wouldn’t release the hostages. This was the scene on the first day. On the second day, one of the SAS members negotiated with Max regarding the demand he asked for without any violence or causing harm to the hostages.
Just before midday, the SAS squad prepares to storm the building, but Salim frees one captive out of concern for the sick inmate. Salim agrees to a 48-hour deadline extension when Max supplies food to the terrorists, but only on the condition that he be allowed to go to Heathrow Airport in the company of Arab League ambassadors. On the third and fourth days, the torchbearer becomes more prominent. Salem’s demands were more than what he said earlier. The situation became so bad that Salem’s right hand encountered one of the hostages.
Meanwhile, the whole SAS group plans to rescue the group through the bus route, but as the government has planned not to agree with any terrorist demands, the previous plan of hosting the building was the last option that they could agree with. This hostage story goes on for days until and unless the rescue team finally does what they say. Firmin leads an attack that results in the deaths of Salim and three other terrorists, while only one hostage and one SAS member are lost (though one of the SAS members suffers severe burns to his left leg). Before Faisal can use a grenade against the hostages, Firmin spots him hiding among them as they are led outside and shoots him in the stomach. The remaining terrorist, number six, is found hiding among the hostages as they are detained and searched outside the Embassy.
As the SAS team rides back to Hereford, they hear the Prime Minister lavishly praise them and the Metropolitan Police on the radio, and a relieved Vernon calls his wife to let her know that he is safe.
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5. The Outpost
This film is also based on a war film, with the horror of war playing a major role in the plot. The plot of the story deals with the town. Outpost follows a team of seasoned mercenaries as they travel through the no-man’s land of war-torn Eastern Europe in order to protect a mysterious businessman.
But after he leads them to a long-forgotten underground outpost, they unwittingly reawaken a lurking terror, and their mission shifts from protection to survival as they fight a foe even they have never seen before. Outpost is a gut-wrenching, adrenaline-fueled horror film that makes for gruesome, thrilling viewing and an experience so horrifying that you’ll never ignore your history again. The film is laced with a suffocating, claustrophobic chill that infuses each of its terrifying set pieces.
6. The Past
It is considered a good movie by its reviewers. The movie features the story of almost all the work of Asghar Farhadi because of the vitality needed to show how much this film is being misjudged by the audience. The films pave the path toward the audience’s hearts with the help of drama that is both timeless and modern in its complexity and emotional depth. The film is full of twists and a reality check that will make you reconsider your own choices while also leading you to discover your different self and grow into your own actions.
Other than this feature, the film derives from the romantic genre, and it is also set not in the theocratic Teheran but rather in the permissive world of a Parisian suburb. The central theme of The Past is the experience shared by all humans: living with the consequences of past decisions. In addition to Farhadi’s expert direction and the emotionally nuanced narrative, the film’s success rests on the shoulders of Ali Mosaffa, Tahar Rahim, and, most of all, Bérénice Bejo, who all give outstanding performances. It was an amazing and unforgettable time.
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7. Lone Survivor
Lone Survivor is a biographical war movie that is adapted from a novel of the same name. It is set in the theme of the war in Afghanistan, which dramatizes the United States’ unsuccessful war. The incredible story of four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative is told in Lone Survivor, a film based on the best-selling true story of heroism, courage, and survival. In the heart of the Afghan mountains, the four men are faced with an unthinkable moral choice that ultimately leads them straight into the waiting arms of the enemy. The SEALs must dig deep within themselves for the fortitude to face insurmountable odds and continue the fight to the bitter end.
8. The Seige of Jadotville
An Irish peacekeeping deployment in the Congo is the subject of the film “The Siege of Jadotville.” Based on actual events, The Siege of Jadotville is a well-made film. The film recounts the experiences of Irish soldiers who were deployed to the Congo in 1961 to help keep the peace. They held out for five days despite being threatened by hostile forces and facing a mutiny from their Belgian commander. In spite of being outgunned and outnumbered, the Irish troops were able to keep the rebels at bay. The Irish not only held their ground, but they also captured captives when reinforcements arrived. The film is an inspiring tale of perseverance in the face of adversity. The Siege of Jadotville is an excellent war movie that you shouldn’t miss.
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9. The Whistle blower
Based on the true story of a Nebraska police officer who is doing everything she can to keep the country safe. She is a person who volunteers for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in post-war Bosnia. As soon as she arrives, she learns of a human trafficking scandal involving peacekeeping officials, and she soon realizes that she is alone against a hostile system in a devastated country. Rachel Weisz plays the whistleblower in a powerful lead role, but the true star of the movie is its director, who, thanks to near documentary-style filmmaking, delivers a perfectly executed political thriller with the utmost authenticity.
10. Green Zone
In spite of the lack of large set pieces, Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon reunite for a gritty, street-level look at the 2003 invasion of Iraq, using the director’s preferred techniques to great effect. All the major beats are firmly established and make perfect sense within the context of the story being told, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any action at all.
The plot of the story is about the following American invasion that happened in Iraq due to its war zone, where officer Roy spotted a bag of weapons that were found during the mass destruction. Green Zone is a lot more dynamic than it had any right to be, given the story’s potential for dryness in less capable hands. This is largely due to the efforts of Greengrass and Damon.
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11. Captain Philips
The movie depicts the true story of the hijacking of Maersk Alabama by pirates. The 2009 piracy of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates is the subject of Captain Phillips, a multi-layered examination of the event. Adapted from actual events, the film follows Captain Richard Phillips, the ship’s leader in Alabama.
The film is based on Richard Phillips and Stephan Talty’s book, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and My Fight for Survival,” and was directed by Paul Greengrass. The entire experience of watching Captain Phillips is exhilarating. You’ll be on the edge of your seat watching this thrilling show. The direction and acting are both of the highest calibers.
12. Mud
This is the story of a true detective who takes the case to another level. Mud, written and directed by Jeff Nichols and set in the American South, is a touching story about love, loss, and self-discovery. Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) are two kids who stumble upon Mud (Matthew McConaughey), a man on the run wanted for murder.
Despite their initial apprehension, the children quickly grew fond of him and wanted to do whatever they could to help and protect him from his pursuers. Based on American fairy tales and set in the steamy South, this film is ultimately a love story that tackles a very human crisis through the eyes of children. The beauty of mud is rooted in its many contradictory qualities. Without delay.
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13. Mosul
As the name suggests, Mosul is the capital city of Iraq. It is considered the second-largest city in Iraq in terms of population as well as other cultural events. But over here, we are talking about a movie that is set in the name of a country and is written and directed in Arabic. The movie is based on the war that happened in 2016. The name of the war was the “Battle of Mosul.” The Russo Brothers’ “Mosul,” starring Adam Bessa, is set in and around the city of Mosul. The events of “Mosul,” like those of “6 Underground,” take place in the Middle East in a country fighting for independence from its oppressive citizens. And like those other two Netflix originals and the Morocco-set “Close,”
“Mosul” was directed and written by an outsider to the region of the world that serves as the film’s focal point and implicit target of criticism. To sum up, “Mosul” appears to be the type of problematic thriller that endangers the very people its protagonists are trying to save. A compelling performance from Iraqi actor Suhail Dabbach helps make up for the film’s reliance on formulaic imagery (orphaned children, impregnated women) to convey the horrors of the Islamic State. With “Mosul” picking up in the present day, their wrath is plain to see.
Intertitles explain that the Nineveh SWAT team is one of the few groups that Daesh fighters fear, as evidenced by drone shots of widespread devastation (collapsed buildings, burning cars, abandoned neighborhoods). The Nineveh SWAT team is infamous for its toughness and is made up of police officers from Mosul who use their insider knowledge of the city to their advantage. They have never been captured, and none of them have ever joined Daesh to save themselves.
14. Darkest Hour
The Darkest Hour is quite an interesting movie as it is based on the early life of Winston Churchill’s early days as a prime minister and how he governed the situation of World War II. It is basically a film of facts that is played by history itself to inform what happened at that time. The name of the movie is quite appropriate. Before Dunkirk, the Germans threatened to destroy Britain’s army, and Churchill would soon hear that Franklin Roosevelt would decline to help the Brits due to anti-interventionist sentiment in Congress.
It was a dark and lonely time for the United Kingdom. As such, it’s easy to see why Churchill’s main opponents, Neville Chamberlain and Lord Halifax, advocated for Mussolini to negotiate a deal with Hitler to prevent an invasion and potential mass slaughter in Britain. Before being persuaded by Churchill, even King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn) was willing to negotiate with the devil.
This Winston Churchill is no pulp hero or saintly statue. Wright’s film acknowledges the black stain on the leader’s public career that the battle of Gallipoli in World War I represented but doesn’t make it a psychological millstone, much like the recent, dreadful “Churchill,” which was as roundly denounced by historians and Churchill experts as “Darkest Hour” did.
The freshness of this portrayal begins with the dramatic sharpness and historical intelligence of Anthony McCarten’s script, which gives us a Churchill who is drawn into dynamic action by the looming shadow of Hitler’s evil. “Darkest Hour” also frequently shows us its protagonist from the perspectives of his acerbic yet supportive wife, Clemmie, and his young, endlessly put-upon secretary, Elizabeth. This event in the movie shows the true color of the prime minister of that time, who resembles none other than Hilter. And how he interprets the event in the story of that.
15. Danger
The Closest Battle of All Time The movie is a depiction of the war that happened in the Vietnam War, “The Battle of Long Tan.” The military term “Danger Close” is used when moving forward and aiming fire at the adversary. Danger Close may also be an apt description of one of Australia’s most contentious military clashes of the twentieth century, as well as the difficulties inherent in making films about historical events that are still fresh in people’s minds.
D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, comprised of 108 men, along with three New Zealanders from an artillery forward observation party, RAAF helicopters, and a relief force of armored personnel carriers, fought a battle against a vastly superior force, in abysmal weather conditions, for an entire afternoon on August 18, 1966. In the combat that took place near a rubber plantation in Long Tan, in southern Vietnam, seventeen Australians lost their lives. Twenty-five more were hurt, and one of them ended up dying.
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