9/11 is a moment none can forget. The terror, the images and sounds of pain, the very thought this country itself and all it stood for had been attacked by cowardly terrorists. Since then, the way this country works has been changed forever, with security from every corner of the globe being put on the highest alert possible to catch the next potential act of terrorism.

What most forget, though, is for ten years, this country was tracking the mastermind behind 9/11. We were determined to find Osama Bin Laden, and in Kathryn Bigelow’s newest movie “Zero Dark Thirty”, (which is military code for thirty minutes after midnight) we’re given a riveting account of that decade long mission.

And what an account it is.

Maya (Jessica Chastain) is not the most experienced in the CIA, but that doesn’t stop her from becoming attached to a unique mission: interrogating detainees with potential information on Osama Bin Laden. What starts out as being a brief assignment turns into a decade long struggle, with both failure and glorious success awaiting Maya.

The men and women in the army deserve more kudos than they get in the public, but it’s also the fine folks at the CIA who should get some accolades for their work, especially during this intense mission. Bigelow is an expert in showcasing these men and women, engaging in the most dangerous mission of the century, while trying to retain some sort of humanity in themselves. That exception comes in the form of Maya, who devotes an entire decade to finding Osama Bin Laden and forgoes any other parts of her life for it. She shows courage, intelligence, determination in the face of any obstacles she comes across.

Jessica Chastain plays this character with brilliant gusto, making Maya a wonderfully realized character who has the nation’s best interests at heart, though her obsession with this mission takes an undeniable toll on herself. As for other characters, I loved seeing Joel Edgerton (who was the main attraction in the severely underrated 2011 boxing flick “Warrior” ) as one of the soldiers in Seal Team Six, a Squadron with a special mission. Mark Strong gets a fantastic monologue and some great acting as high ranking official George. The breakout star is easily Jason Clarke, as one of Maya’s few friends in this tumultuous time and who displays subtlety in his fantastic role.

The film itself is staged wonderfully, with the final action sequence towards the end being one of the best displayed in 2012 cinema. Bigelow certainly knows how to keep action well paced and well articulated, keeping the audience consistently on the edge of their seats. To boot, the script (written by Mark Boal) is stupendous, with insanely fantastic dialogue and exhilarating plot turns that all but assure you won’t know where this brilliant film is headed. Also, the film gave Maya great characterization, but never ignored the other actors of the ensemble cast, giving everyone some great moments to shine. A tremendous feat, one not easily accomplished in most films.

It’s very rare, and perhaps foolish to dub this movie at such an early point, but I truly believe “Zero Dark Thirty” will one day be looked on as one of the great movies the 21st century produced. It’s a masterpiece, and a movie I felt exemplified a decade filled with fear and uncertainty. The best part? When it’s finished, like in the movie, there isn’t cheering or a happy musical number. There’s silent acceptance at those who died, those who gave themselves to this country to hope we’d have a better tomorrow. At the end of it all, you’re more likely to shed a tear or reminisce all the fear you have witnessed since 9/11 than stand up and applaud. It’s rare for a movie, or any media for that matter, to instill such emotions. As a tribute to those souls, to the many people who helped to find Bin Laden, to the brave soldiers on the front line and to great cinema, it’s hard to imagine a better tribute than “Zero Dark Thirty”.