Zeros and Ones (2021) Lionsgate
Directed By: Abel Ferrea
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Valerio Mastandrea
Plot Summary: An American soldier stationed in Rome with the Vatican blown up, embarks on a hero’s journey to uncover and defend against an unknown enemy threatening the entire world.
They say there is truth in advertising, but of course, many savvy filmgoers know that marketing can get, shall we say creative. Such is the case for 2021’s Zeros and Ones which features a poster that has the kind of fire power of a Michael Bay thriller. Indeed, if you told me this was a Ferrea outing, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Instead of a fast paced, white knuckled ride, Zeros and Ones is a somber and at times chilling experience crafted the way only Ferrea could. From the very outset, the filmmakers establish a tone that is dark and brooding. Here, the maverick filmmaker whose credits include the infamous Driller Killer, Ms. 45 and The Addiction, uses the backdrop of the pandemic, and clever filmmaking under lockdown guidelines. The end result is a hellish and gritty back-to-basics filmmaking that echoes the aforementioned films. It’s this stripped down and haunting mediation on patriotism, religion and duty that gives it the weight it needs to thrive.
Being an Abel Ferrea movie, it also has moments that are totally bat-shit crazy. Hawke’s baffling rant whilst held at gun point is a moment that is only ballsy enough for the veteran filmmaker to get away with. I am the very first person to admit I am not a big Ethan Hawke fan, though I will say he does a solid job at playing a grizzled and unhinged soldier. Outside of the blisteringly unconventional set up and execution, Hawk is a clear reason why this is a noteworthy outing. Though the emotional threads certainly help, the movie is not without its shortcomings. The narrative isn’t as rich and satisfying as you’d hope for. I’d go so far as to say that Ferrea actively subverts traditional action-film tropes but forgets to balance with compelling plot. Also, I think the themes whilst important do come off incredibly heavy-handed.
Zeros and Ones isn’t the bombastic action outing you might be expecting, however, it is the grounded pandemic thriller we need.
ZEROS AND ONES is currently available in Select Theaters, on Apple TV and Everywhere You Rent Movies. It will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on January 4th.
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.
