Best movies like Zero Dark Thirty
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 315000
Genere: Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, India
Duration: 157 min
Plot tags: tense, suspenseful, suspense, political, realistic, harsh, talky, controversial, brutal, motivational
Best tv shows and movies like Zero Dark Thirty (2012):
Similar in 77%
Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden (2012)
Plot Summary:
When the rumored whereabouts of Osama bin Laden are revealed, the CIA readies a team of seasoned U.S. Navy SEALs for the mission of a lifetime. Despite inconclusive evidence that bin Laden is inside the compound, and ignoring the possible ramifications of an unannounced attack on Pakistani soil, the Pentagon orders the attack. The SEAL Team bands together to complete their mission of justice in a riveting final showdown.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, suspenseful, rough, serious, realistic
Similar in 88%
The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019)
Plot Summary:
Sudan, East Africa, 1980. A team of Israeli Mossad agents plans to rescue and transfer thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. To do so, and to avoid raising suspicions from the inquisitive and ruthless authorities, they establish as a cover a fake diving resort by the Red Sea.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 129 min
Plot tags: rough, suspense, suspenseful, non-linear, brutal, powerful
Similar in 82%
Eye in the Sky (2015)
Plot Summary:
A military officer in command of a drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya sees her mission escalate from “capture” to “kill” just as a nine-year old girl enters the kill zone.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 90000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: South Africa, UK, Canada
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: suspense, political, suspenseful, tense, intense, disturbing, exciting, social, psychological, psychological thriller
Similar in 90%
Act of Valor (2012)
Plot Summary:
When a covert mission to rescue a kidnapped CIA operative uncovers a chilling plot, an elite, highly trained U.S. SEAL team speeds to hotspots around the globe, racing against the clock to stop a deadly terrorist attack.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 71000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspense, talky, intense, exciting, suspenseful, serious, action packed, visually appealing, cult classic
Similar in 85%
The Kingdom (2007)
Plot Summary:
A team of U.S. government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 131000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany, United Arab Emirates
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, exciting, suspense, tense, action packed, intense, rough, serious, political
Similar in 90%
The Double (2011)
Plot Summary:
The mysterious murder of a US senator bearing the distinctive trademark of the legendary Soviet assassin 'Cassius', forces retired CIA operative, Paul Shepherson to team with rookie FBI agent, Ben Geary to solve the crime. Having spent his career chasing Cassius, Shepherdson is convinced his nemesis is long dead, but is pushed to take on the case by his former supervisor, Tom Highland. Geary, who wrote his Master's thesis on Shepherdson's pursuit of the Soviet killer, is certain that Cassius has resurfaced.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, United Arab Emirates
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, suspense, tense, intense, realistic, serious, surprise ending, political thriller, twisted, neo noir
Similar in 82%
Homeland (2011)
Plot Summary:
CIA officer Carrie Mathison is tops in her field despite being bipolar, which makes her volatile and unpredictable. With the help of her long-time mentor Saul Berenson, Carrie fearlessly risks everything, including her personal well-being and even sanity, at every turn.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 357000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 55 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, tense, captivating, political, detective, psychological thriller, political thriller, dramatic, thrilling
Similar in 76%
United 93 (2006)
Plot Summary:
A real time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 110000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, France
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, realistic, emotional, controversial, tense, political, rough, serious, disturbing, bleak
Similar in 83%
12 Strong (2018)
Plot Summary:
A team of CIA agents and special forces head into Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks in an attempt to dismantle the Taliban.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 90000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: touching, exciting, suspenseful, anamorphic, historical drama, rough, inspirational, bloody, entertaining, factual
Similar in 89%
Blood Diamond (2006)
Plot Summary:
An ex-mercenary turned smuggler. A Mende fisherman. Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed countrywide.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 577000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany, UK
Duration: 143 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, serious, captivating, harsh, emotional, intense, suspenseful, political, suspense, entertaining
Similar in 88%
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
Plot Summary:
An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 157000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Malta, Morocco
Duration: 144 min
Plot tags: intense, realistic, suspenseful, tense, factual, political, anamorphic, historical drama, motivational, sad
Similar in 79%
'71 (2014)
Plot Summary:
A young British soldier must find his way back to safety after his unit accidentally abandons him during a riot in the streets of Belfast.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 59000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: suspense, serious, suspenseful, political, atmospheric, intense, rough, bleak, tense, realistic
Similar in 84%
A Mighty Heart (2007)
Plot Summary:
Based on Mariane Pearl's account of the terrifying and unforgettable story of her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl's life and death.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: emotional, realistic, serious, factual, political, sad, captivating, inspirational, sincere, cult classic
Similar in 86%
Valkyrie (2008)
Plot Summary:
Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 256000
Genere: Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Japan, UK
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags: factual, bad ending, tense, suspense, suspenseful, captivating, realistic, political, contemplative, dramatic
Similar in 89%
A Most Wanted Man (2014)
Plot Summary:
A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg and becomes a person of interest for a covert government team which tracks the movements of potential terrorists.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 79000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA, Germany
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: clever, bleak, tense, political, suspense, melancholic, thought provoking, psychological, cerebral, independent film
Similar in 88%
Green Zone (2010)
Plot Summary:
During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in the Iraqi desert. Rocketing from one booby-trapped and treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but stumble instead upon an elaborate cover-up that threatens to invert the purpose of their mission.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 142000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK, France, Spain, USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: political thriller, suspense, tense, exciting, political, serious, suspenseful, intense, entertaining, factual
Similar in 89%
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Plot Summary:
When the president of Russia suddenly dies, a man whose politics are virtually unknown succeeds him. The change in political leaders sparks paranoia among American CIA officials, so CIA director Bill Cabot recruits a young analyst to supply insight and advice on the situation. Then the unthinkable happens: a nuclear bomb explodes in a U.S. city, and America is quick to blame the Russians.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 123000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Germany, Canada
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, suspense, exciting, political, tense, intense, political thriller, serious, rough, realistic
Similar in 78%
Body of Lies (2008)
Plot Summary:
The CIA’s hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris is the agency’s man on the ground, moving from place to place, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky – a satellite link – watches Ferris. At the other end of that real-time link is the CIA’s Ed Hoffman, strategizing events from thousands of miles away. And as Ferris nears the target, he discovers trust can be just as dangerous as it is necessary for survival.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 237000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 128 min
Plot tags: clever, political, exciting, tense, realistic, political thriller, serious, suspense, entertaining, enigmatic
Similar in 80%
Syriana (2005)
Plot Summary:
The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman, a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 133000
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, United Arab Emirates
Duration: 128 min
Plot tags: political thriller, suspense, cerebral, political, tense, realistic, intense, thought provoking, serious, disturbing
Similar in 75%
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Plot Summary:
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union captures U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers' only hope is New York lawyer James Donovan, recruited by a CIA operative to negotiate his release. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man's freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians would get Rudolf Abel, the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 324000
Genere: Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, India, Germany
Duration: 142 min
Plot tags: suspense, realistic, dramatic, tricky, intense, historical drama, serious, entertaining, period piece, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
The Courier (2020)
Plot Summary:
Cold War spy Greville Wynne and his Russian source try to put an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 70000
Genere: Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: suspense, tense, captivating, scary, touching, political, dramatic, powerful, action drama, informative
Similar in 81%
Argo (2012)
Plot Summary:
As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 633000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: tense, suspenseful, clever, captivating, political, intense, suspense, breathtaking, political thriller, realistic
Similar in 88%
Lone Survivor (2013)
Plot Summary:
Four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative must make an impossible moral decision in the mountains of Afghanistan that leads them into an enemy ambush. As they confront unthinkable odds, the SEALs must find reserves of strength and resilience to fight to the finish.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 303000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, War
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags: rough, tense, captivating, emotional, exciting, disturbing, realistic, serious, intense, touching
Similar in 81%
American Sniper (2014)
Plot Summary:
U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle takes his sole mission—protect his comrades—to heart and becomes one of the most lethal snipers in American history. His pinpoint accuracy not only saves countless lives but also makes him a prime target of insurgents. Despite grave danger and his struggle to be a good husband and father to his family back in the States, Kyle serves four tours of duty in Iraq. However, when he finally returns home, he finds that he cannot leave the war behind.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 519000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, War
Country: USA
Duration: 133 min
Plot tags: tense, emotional, factual, serious, realistic, rough, suspenseful, political, clever, sad
Similar in 83%
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Plot Summary:
When U.S. Rangers and an elite Delta Force team attempt to kidnap two underlings of a Somali warlord, their Black Hawk helicopters are shot down, and the Americans suffer heavy casualties, facing intense fighting from the militia on the ground.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 417000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 144 min
Plot tags: realistic, epic, rough, captivating, suspenseful, intense, factual, brutal, disturbing, political
Similar in 81%
Tears of the Sun (2003)
Plot Summary:
Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees. When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors Without Borders physician.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 129000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, suspense, factual, compassionate, brutal, political, rough, suspenseful, entertaining
Similar in 78%
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Plot Summary:
Forced to play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in the chaos of war, an elite Army bomb squad unit must come together in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a deadly bomb.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 468000
Genere: Drama, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspense, emotional, tense, serious, rough, psychological, political, sad, factual
Similar in 89%
Munich (2005)
Plot Summary:
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government recruits a group of Mossad agents to track down and execute those responsible for the attack.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 236000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, France
Duration: 164 min
Plot tags: political, suspenseful, intense, tense, suspense, brutal, rough, political thriller, bleak, realistic
Similar in 78%
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Plot Summary:
The true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets had some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 124000
Genere: Biography, Comedy, Drama, History
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: political, realistic, clever, factual, thought provoking, humorous, entertaining, witty, talky, suspense
Similar in 75%
The Good Shepherd (2006)
Plot Summary:
Edward Wilson, the only witness to his father's suicide and member of the Skull and Bones Society while a student at Yale, is a morally upright young man who values honor and discretion, qualities that help him to be recruited for a career in the newly founded OSS. His dedication to his work does not come without a price though, leading him to sacrifice his ideals and eventually his family.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 107000
Genere: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 167 min
Plot tags: tense, realistic, suspense, political, factual, serious, suspenseful, rough, political thriller, emotional