The Zero Theorem

Name: The Zero Theorem
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Fantasy
Released: September 19, 2014
Duration: 107 min
Rating: 50
Cast: Christoph Waltz, David Thewlis, Lucas Hedges, Mélanie Thierry

2014

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Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 59 Ratings

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 59 Ratings

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The Zero Theorem

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Movie Details & Credits

| Release Date: September 19, 2014 | R

Starring: Christoph Waltz, David Thewlis, Lucas Hedges, Mélanie Thierry

Summary: Qohen (Christoph Waltz), an eccentric and reclusive computer genius living in isolation, obsessively works on a mysterious project personally delegated to him by Management (Matt Damon) aimed at discovering the meaning of life – or the complete lack of one—once and for all. Increasingly disturbed by visits from people he doesn’t fullyQohen (Christoph Waltz), an eccentric and reclusive computer genius living in isolation, obsessively works on a mysterious project personally delegated to him by Management (Matt Damon) aimed at discovering the meaning of life – or the complete lack of one—once and for all. Increasingly disturbed by visits from people he doesn’t fully trust, including the flirtatious Bainsley (Mélanie Thierry), his unpredictable supervisor Job (David Thewlis), and would-be digital therapist Dr. Shrink-Rom (Tilda Swinton), it’s only when he experiences the power of love and desire that he’s able to understand his own reason for being.… Expand

Director: Terry Gilliam

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama, Fantasy

Rating: R

Runtime: 107 min

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Critic Reviews

Philip Kemp

Mar 10, 2014

The future as candy-coloured paranoid nightmare: not quite Gilliam’s best, but still the most satisfying movie he’s made for years. Read full review

Mary Corliss

Sep 16, 2013

The Zero Theorem is a spectacle that demands to be cherished — as long as the society Gilliam portrays is a satire, not a prophesy. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service Roger Moore

Sep 16, 2014

Like “Brazil” and “Twelve Monkeys,” it’s about human connections in a technologically warped world rendered lonely and unlivable by the lack of those connections. Read full review

Time Out London Dave Calhoun

Sep 16, 2013

It’s anarchic, sometimes amusing, intermittently tedious, with ideas about digital alienation and the corruption of technology that too often feel blunt and tired. Read full review

Stephanie Zacharek

Sep 16, 2014

Too bad the story tucked around all that production design is such a futuristic drag. Read full review

Mike Scott

Sep 19, 2014

As a collective thing, though, those moments add up to a messy, all-over-the-map movie that toys with big, existential thoughts, but it doesn't have a coherent enough story with which to drive them home. Read full review

Michael Ordona

Sep 18, 2014

Zero is more of an intellectual exercise in which you’re never given all the variables to solve the problem — and then you find your calculator was on acid the whole time anyway. Read full review

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User Reviews

Yury_Vorobyov

Feb 1, 2015

This film is living proof that almost every individual is idiot by measure of current state of science (look how much critics did not even understand its meaning).

If you don't know basics like group theory, differential geometry, partial differential equations, variational calculus andThis film is living proof that almost every individual is idiot by measure of current state of science (look how much critics did not even understand its meaning).

If you don't know basics like group theory, differential geometry, partial differential equations, variational calculus and some more, you are just casual and useless. Main hero is not casual. Most humans don't even understand how it hurts to be genius. By definition genius is someone who transferred his own tragedy into science light. This is most pure transfusion of all.

After all, ask Grisha Perelman about what is to be first of all minds.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Rabidprimate

Jan 17, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A cynical retelling of a good part of Douglas Adams Life the universe and Everything. Instead of deep thought taking millions of years to find the answer to everything the protagonist has been tasked with finding if everything we do is for nothing. A good movie that may not go where you were looking for it to go but to where it wants you to go. If you are a Gilliam fan or want a movie with a darker Douglas Adams feel i would deff put this on the to watch list.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

StaticSpine

Nov 13, 2014

This movie is a huge allusion on our modern society and our place in it. At first The Zero Theorem seems like a bright and quirky mess, but later you can just start seeing yourself in Christoph Waltz's characters: you do not get why should you go to the office to work, you feel like yourThis movie is a huge allusion on our modern society and our place in it. At first The Zero Theorem seems like a bright and quirky mess, but later you can just start seeing yourself in Christoph Waltz's characters: you do not get why should you go to the office to work, you feel like your life has no meaning, you have lost contatc with other people and along with that you just forget that you still have a life to live and enjoy. I can't understand why the score is so low.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

Bikerjames

May 26, 2015

With Terry Gilliam's films it's all about the ride, not necessarily the destination. Christoph Waltz gives his usual stellar performance, and the acting throughout is excellent, but my favorite performance in the film is by Mélanie Thierry. If you've seen his other films, especiallyWith Terry Gilliam's films it's all about the ride, not necessarily the destination. Christoph Waltz gives his usual stellar performance, and the acting throughout is excellent, but my favorite performance in the film is by Mélanie Thierry. If you've seen his other films, especially Brazil, you will have a sense of Deja Vu, as Mr. Gilliam seems obsessed with finding the meaning of life. Visually striking and always interesting. Recommended… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JE61

Oct 24, 2014

Quirky and philosophical, The Zero Theorem follows in the idiom of many of Mr. Gilliam's previous films. There is an intense discomfort with technology and the alienation of modern life where the search for meaning reveals only more profound layers of ambiguity. This is a harrowingQuirky and philosophical, The Zero Theorem follows in the idiom of many of Mr. Gilliam's previous films. There is an intense discomfort with technology and the alienation of modern life where the search for meaning reveals only more profound layers of ambiguity. This is a harrowing examination of the paradoxes of love, faith in the face of the inexorable chaos of human life. You'll dig The Zero Theorem if you are at peace with living in doubt. If you need to feel reassured that everything will ultimately comfortably resolved, you will need to look for it somewhere else… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

frankrog29

Sep 25, 2014

The main criticism of The Zero Theorem seems to be that it lacks a plot, or that the plot is poorly developed. This complaint just demonstrates that movie viewers want a canned, straightforward, easily explained plot, and they shut down if they don't get one. The thing is, this movie doesThe main criticism of The Zero Theorem seems to be that it lacks a plot, or that the plot is poorly developed. This complaint just demonstrates that movie viewers want a canned, straightforward, easily explained plot, and they shut down if they don't get one. The thing is, this movie does have a plot, it's just loosely structured and never fully explained. With this film, Mr. Gilliam wants to challenge the viewer and make him or her guess what's really happening. I for one love to be challenged by movies that leave the story open to interpretation. The Zero Theorem is not Mr. Gilliam's best work. However, like the director's other movies, this movie is ingenious and really fun to watch. Mr. Gilliam is still a cinematic master so go out and see The Zero Theorem!… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Tss5078

Feb 5, 2018

When you watch a Terry Gilliam film, you should expect for there to be a fair amount of weirdness. When you add Science Fiction to the mix, there is the possibility that anything can happen. With this in mind, I was really excited to see The Zero Theorem, and what I got was simply one of theWhen you watch a Terry Gilliam film, you should expect for there to be a fair amount of weirdness. When you add Science Fiction to the mix, there is the possibility that anything can happen. With this in mind, I was really excited to see The Zero Theorem, and what I got was simply one of the worst films I have ever seen! Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz) is a computer genius, who has been assigned by Management to discover the meaning of life. He does this alone in an old abandoned church. This movie made absolutely no sense to the point where I don't even know how the hell to describe it in any way that would do it justice. Waltz is running around like a madman the entire time, talking so fast, with that accent, that he's impossible to understand. He meets Tilda Swinton at some type of party, and she keeps showing up for some unknown reason, personally I just think it's because she's weird and she likes being in weird movies. Waltz has all these odd computer programs, strange characters he interacts with and talks non-sense with, all in a film that moves faster than his internet connection. I really just didn't understand a thing that was going on and watching it a number of times or doing any amount of any drug in the world wouldn't change that. How is a solitary man playing strange computer games supposed to discover the meaning of life? Who are all these people who keep showing up? What in the hell are they talking about, and what does anything have to do with anything? I'm not entirely sure that another person on this planet besides Terry Gilliam understands what was going on in this film. All I know is that no one should have ever been exposed to whatever this nightmare was intended to be.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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