This Thriller Made Chris Pratt An Action Star Before Guardians & Jurassic (& It's Now On Netflix)

Published Aug 8, 2026, 1:20 PM EDT Sky Blanton is a Movie Contributor at ScreenRant with professional experience covering movies, television, and pop culture. Her published work spans news, interviews, features, and opinion pieces, with a focus on film, franchise storytelling, and the entertainment industry. She earned her bachelor's degree in Communications with a concentration in Professional Writing and a minor in Business Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Before Chris Pratt became known for leading blockbuster action franchises, he was primarily recognized for his comedic performances. His role as Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation made him a well-known comedy actor, but it did not immediately suggest the action-heavy career that would follow. Before audiences saw him as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy or Owen Grady in Jurassic World, Pratt took on Zero Dark Thirty, a role that challenged how audiences viewed him as a performer. Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty placed Pratt in unfamiliar territory as Justin Lenihan, a fictional DEVGRU operator involved in the mission to locate and kill Osama bin Laden. Instead of relying on the humor and charm that defined many of his earlier roles, Pratt portrayed a soldier shaped by training, focus, and discipline. The performance required him to step away from the qualities that made him recognizable and embrace a much more controlled acting style. Although his later franchise roles frequently visited action-oriented stories, Zero Dark Thirty was the first major indication that Pratt could handle that kind of material. His preparation for the role, including training with members of the Navy SEAL community, helped him bring realism to Lenihan. Zero Dark Thirty Helped Prove Chris Pratt Could Do Action (& Not Just Comedy) Andy Dwyer was defined by his unpredictability and humor, but Justin Lenihan required a completely different mindset and approach. The character is a professional operating in a world where hesitation can have serious consequences, and Pratt adjusts his performance accordingly. That change is most apparent during the Abbottabad raid, when Lenihan is part of the DEVGRU team that enters the compound after years of intelligence work led them to bin Laden’s location. Pratt’s performance in the sequence is defined by small details rather than dramatic moments. He follows the team’s commands, moves through the compound with urgency, and maintains the same controlled focus as the real-life operators the film is portraying. Instead of making Lenihan the center of the mission, Pratt blends into the unit, which makes the character feel like part of a trained military team rather than a fictional action hero. Pratt trained with members of the Navy SEAL community (via Men's Journal), including Jared Shaw, to better understand the physical demands and mindset of special operations. The result was a performance built around restraint, allowing Pratt to portray Lenihan as a professional soldier rather than relying on the charisma and humor that made his previous roles so well known. The role obviously did not immediately redefine Pratt’s career, but it shifted what audiences could expect from him. Zero Dark Thirty revealed that he could handle a serious performance built around control and intensity, opening the door for the action roles that followed. Zero Dark Thirty Is Still One Of Chris Pratt's Best Movies Justin Lenihan is not a role built around a dramatic transformation or a standout hero moment. He does not drive Maya’s investigation, and the film never stops to give him a personal storyline outside the mission. That is what makes Pratt’s performance effective. In Zero Dark Thirty, Lenihan is one member of a highly trained unit, and Pratt plays him like someone who understands that the mission matters more than any individual involved. After Maya and the CIA spend years piecing together the intelligence that leads them to bin Laden’s compound, the operation has the weight of the entire film behind it. Pratt does not turn Lenihan into the person who dominates the sequence. The tension comes from the mission itself, not from a single character trying to become a hero. Pratt’s performance is memorable because he relies on presence rather than dialogue. Lenihan is defined by how he moves, communicates, and responds under pressure. Those choices fit the film’s emphasis on procedure and realism, making the DEVGRU team feel like an actual group of professionals carrying out a dangerous assignment. That is why Zero Dark Thirty remains one of the strongest films in Pratt’s career. The role does not rely on the qualities that later made him a blockbuster star. Instead, it shows his ability to disappear into a part and serve the story, which is exactly what makes Lenihan such an effective part of the film. Release Date December 19, 2012 Runtime 157 Minutes Director Kathryn Bigelow Writers Mark Boal Producers Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Megan Ellison