Rapid Review: The Zero Theorem (2013)

“Waiting for The Call. What other reason is there to pick up the phone?”
– Qohen Leth

SYNOPSIS: A computer hacker whose goal is to discover the reason for human existence continually finds his work interrupted thanks to the Management; namely, they send a teenager and lusty love interest to distract him. – via IMDB

I sat throughout this movie with a wtf-is-going-on attitude. Not because it was bad, but because it was a bizarre journey to take. Waltz delivered a great performance, and I absolutely love listening to this man. His voice, his cadence, its all very mesmerising. While he may have not been as eloquent as his role as King Schultz, or as thrilling as Hans Landa, Qohen was his own unique and bizarre character. I loved his usage of “we” and “us” instead of “I”, and his twitchy mannerisms were interesting to watch. He was absolutely crazy and strange, yet at the same time you want to know more about him, and you hope he realises all those things he is evidently hanging onto in life. Lucas Hedges as Bob entertained me endlessly, he was certainly one of my favourite characters. The way he and Qohen taught each other things and learned from one another was so cool, and Bob’s energy was palpable. There were things that I did not really get in this movie all the time, but that wasn’t too important. The constume design was fantastical and crazy, suiting the style of the movie down to a tee, and I loved the settings and scenery used in this film. Qohen’s home being in an abandoned church was interesting, and it had both a beautiful and depressing feel to it at the same time. The camera work was cool, and the plot layout had you wondering what the hell was going on the whole way through. I really wish Matt Damon had been given a bigger role, I do so love his work (even when he has crappy roles like Max in Elysium). I had a giggle at the Church of Batman the Redeemer, and the way the dystopian future was portrayed was incredibly weird, yet it worked. I don’t really know what else to say about it. I think that some people look at this as a missed opportunity comedy or something, and while there are scenes that are humorous and all, overall it is more depressing than anything else, but I liked that. This movie is certainly not going to be for everyone, of that I am certain, but as for me, I liked it.