Ethan Hawke (Training Day) and director Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant) join forces for this gritty, tense political-thriller set on one deadly night in Rome. Called to the city to stop an imminent terrorist bombing, soldier J.J. (Hawke) desperately seeks news of his imprisoned rebel brother, Justin (also Hawke), who holds knowledge that could thwart the attack. Navigating the capital’s darkened streets, J.J. races to a series of ominous encounters, hoping to keep the Vatican from being blown to bits.
For in-depth thoughts on Zeros And Ones, please see my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Zeros And Ones comes to Blu-Ray in a detailed 1080p presentation in its 2.39:1 original aspect ratio that captures the intended aesthetic of the film. This is not a beautifully shot film, as it has a very gritty quality that Ferrara leans into heavily. The majority of the film takes place in shadow, but object details hold up as well as can be expected. Black levels are deep and do not fall victim to any noticeable unintentional digital noise or errors of the sort, even if fine detail is not the strongest in these moments. In the few brighter moments, there are subtle flourishes in the setting and scenery that come through more sharply. Color saturation is minimal with the color palette staying very bleak overall. Skin tones are natural to the lighting conditions, and there are many shots of skin that provide an interesting textural detail. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has delivered a strong high definition presentation here.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is extremely engaging, and it never fails to transport you deeper into this odyssey. The soundscape on display here is very rich thanks to the way in which Ferrara places you into this world with sounds flowing from all directions. All of the effects have a nice sense of direction within the mix with prominent noises really springing to life. The movie uses environmental sounds to great effect, and the track retains strong detail even in the more chaotic developments. This film is not meant to be a full-throttle action film, but there are moments where certain bursts of excitement pack a bigger punch that one might expect. Dialogue comes through crystal clear with none of the information feeling lost to the music in the film or the sound effects. There are numerous moments that make good use of the low end. The track is a top notch effort from Lionsgate.
Special Features
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Zeros And Ones has its sights set on good narrative intentions, but it often forgets to provide a stable enough story to latch onto. Abel Ferrara continues his crusade to be intentionally opaque, and this time it is only saved by the very committed performance from the incredible Ethan Hawke. As a project made out of specific circumstances it is an impressive enough endeavor, but those wanting something truly great or groundbreaking should look elsewhere. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a strong A/V presentation and next to nothing in the way of supplements. Recommended for hardcore Abel Ferrara fans only.
Zeros And Ones is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
