American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden

Disappointed that the "reviews" are just people's political views depending on their personal beliefs rather than a review of the actual source material.

*Was this well made? Yes.

*Is it 100% factually accurate? No.

*Is there a little extra propaganda from a certain angle? Yes.

*Is it complete garbage just because it doesn't fit a viewer's personal beliefs? No.

*Is anything surrounding politics and war ever simply black and white? H*LL NO!

Watch it if you're interested but also do your own research instead of just believing what you are spoon fed regardless of where you happen to call home.

As another reviewer noted, there is a pretty obvious theme through the CIA analysts they interviewed for this program, and it's obvious that it isn't terribly reflective of the entire body of CIA analysts.

Were these the only ones that would consent to an interview? Or are these the only ones that have retired and are willing to spill the tea? Did the good ones not have any interest in participating or were these ladies hand-selected to drive some message?

Generally a decent documentary, doesn't offer much that hasn't already been done in previous projects. I would like to have seen a couple of analysts that were a part of running the ops rather than a just a couple from the periphery that are ashamed of the CIA.

And seriously - a drone controller who is talking about how being a VP in her sorority qualified her for the job? Puhh-lease. Who decided any commentary on her background or sorority membership has any relevance to this at all?

This documentary is based on the manhunt for Osama bin Laden that the USA launched in the early 2000s. It tells the story of a decade on how the USA and all its allied forces helped locate bin Laden. It also talks about the failures and how we failed multiple times before being successful for the first and last time. This documentary has a wide range of cast, ranging from the CIA director to the President's briefer. This original cast (played by the person themselves) leads to an interesting viewpoint on how the issue of neutralizing bin Laden was a hot topic across multiple presidencies and how different organizations played a role in it.

However, I have two gripes with this documentary series. In comparison to this, the movie Zero Dark Thirty shows a more detailed approach to how bin Laden was located and neutralized. This documentary only shows the build-up to the action, but not enough information on the action itself. Additionally, this is a documentary; it would have been great if either President Bush or President Obama could have appeared and shared their views.

"American Manhunt: The Search for Osama bin Laden" is hands down one of the best docuseries I've seen on Netflix. It's not just informative - it's edge-of-your-seat gripping. The storytelling is phenomenal, taking a well-known global event and turning it into something that feels fresh, intense, and emotionally powerful.

The way they structure the timeline, bouncing between past events and the final moments of the manhunt, is done so well that you're never lost, just completely locked in. Even if you know how the story ends, the journey there is filled with suspense.

The editing deserves serious praise. It's clean, sharp, and incredibly effective in building tension. The series seamlessly blends real footage, interviews, and dramatized clips to keep things moving without ever dragging or feeling confusing. Every episode leaves you wanting more - no filler, no fluff.

What I loved most is how it doesn't just focus on the mission, but also gives space to the people involved - the intelligence officers, Navy SEALs, and even those on the emotional side of the aftermath. It's respectful, smart, and powerful.

If you're into true crime, war history, or just love really well-made documentaries, this is a must-watch. Netflix nailed it with this one.

An incredible, painful, and transcendental story told by the intelligence and counterintelligence forces that hunted Osama Bin Laden for years. Many wounds mark the lives of these people, especially frustration. The documentary is very well directed, with previously unseen footage and never-before-told stories of the events surrounding the hunt for the West's most hated terrorist. But the end of this documentary is very interesting because it helps us analyze, understand, and comprehend that Osama, even though he was killed, managed to divide a nation, destroy thousands of lives, including the personal lives of those desperately searching for him. A great documentary.