The Zero Theorem

According to filmmaker Terry Gilliam, this facetious sci-fi fantasy completes the dystopian trilogy that began with Brazil (1985) and was followed by 12 Monkeys (1995). The Zero Theorem is set in an unspecified future London where corporate computers run everyone's lives. Reclusive Qohen (Christoph Waltz)—pronounced “koen”—crunches “entities” for Mancom, a technology company. A diligent yet depressed neurotic who refers to himself as “we,” Qohen dislikes toiling in an office. Instead, he'd rather stay in the cluttered, burnt-out, baroque church that he calls home, much to the chagrin of his supervisor (David Thewlis). Management (Matt Damon) cryptically agrees to allow Qohen to work wherever he wants—under one condition: that he solve an arcane mathematical formula called the Zero Theorem, which postulates that everything adds up to nothing (but zero must equal 100%). Perpetually waiting for a phone call from a higher power that will explain the meaning of life, Qohen's endeavors are interrupted by a digital psychiatrist (Tilda Swinton), a seductive coquette (Mélanie Thierry), Management's nerdy son (Lucas Hedges), and two henchmen known as the Clones (Emil Hostina, Pavlic Nemes). Former Monty Python animator Gilliam is obsessed with dazzling imagery, while screenwriter Pat Rushin borrows elements from Waiting for Godot, Blade Runner, Ecclesiastes and Franz Kafka's existentialism. The complexity here is superficial, but the steampunk look is pure eye-candy. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include production featurettes on costumes (29 min.), behind-the-scenes (19 min.), set design (18 min.), and visual effects (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a characteristically visually-striking Gilliam film.] (S. Granger)