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Mike Prolos | November 17, 2021

Ethan Hawke is in "Zero and One".

"Zeros and Ones" (86 minutes, R-rated violence, torture scenes and ubiquitous language). 3 out of 10

I always think that the independent-minded writer and director Abel Ferrara is a qualified, competent, even if not a genius film producer, willing to extend the boundaries of his films. He has been making movies since 1971-only 70 years old this year-and, as the director of his movies, he likes to deal with challenging materials. Ferrara was born in New York. His work always presents an American mentality, and has always been at the forefront of bringing his themes into different states of consciousness, which basically but loosely describes his latest movie "Zero and one". "However, I think this is a movie that stretches the rubber band too long.

The main challenge of "Zeros and Ones" is to understand what it is about. In general, there is really no story, at least in the traditional sense. Although there is a fairly large cast, and although the speech roles are limited, the whole story revolves around some dark and vicious apocalyptic themes, starring the maverick actor Ethan Hawke, who is always willing to be in non-traditional movies. Play an off-center role. He likes to break away from the mainstream network-although his dual role in "Zero and One" is strange and alternative, it will soon be forgotten because he is too experimental. His character is as chaotic as the movie, with only fragments of a coherent storyline.

When Hawke appeared on the screen before the movie began to explain what attracted him to the role Ferrara recommended to him, the tone of the movie was set, admitting his confusion about the script. Alas, the prologue is actually part of the movie—not an additional promotional film—Hawker has an extra 4 minutes 8 minutes after the end of the film, making the actual length of the film approximately 72 minutes. It is appropriate to say that "Zeros and Ones" is different-but the following story, a dark doomsday spy thriller filmed at night, makes you not only confused-try to be confused. Set in Rome/Vatican City, Hawke plays a black American soldier named JJ who seems to be on a secret mission to collude with evil factions to create destruction on the streets of Rome. It is not clear from the limited dialogue, the dim lights at night and the claustrophobic close-ups of the characters, intending to release the divine fear of the clergy of the Vatican City (we will see it eventually).

Whether Ferrara intends to make an anti-government and anti-religious film on the theme of terrorism during the COVID-19 lockdown (everyone is wearing a mask) is not clear...just like everything else in the film. The plot is chaotic, set in a period of anxiety and tension, the streets are mostly empty, and there are military patrols, except for a few Asians and mafia-like Russians...Both are depicted in a rigid way. It’s not clear what role JJ should play in this secret takeover (who or what?), because he talked about his identical twin brother, and Hawke portrayed him as a revolutionary terrorist (or Liberator). I can hardly explain all of this, all of which are shrouded in mysterious shadows, just like in the weird environment after the end of the world, doom covers the destiny of this city. I don't know anything else.

With Hawke’s monologue and an unfocused, murky story ending, the calm character occupying the screen has little to offer, offset by the disturbing electronic music score, "Zero and One" seems to convey an anarchy The goal. The imminent fears and disasters enveloped Hawke's character—and the city's fate is hanging in the balance—and there is not enough tangible material to understand this oblique, abstract—out of touch with reality—narrative. In the atmosphere of war about to break out, you want to know who is fighting with whom...why?

"Zeros and Ones" is scheduled to be shown in selected theaters and Apple TV on November 19.

More from the movie scene. Go to the movie scene. "Soul Mate" has something sweet. "Champions' Heart": You know the result. "Belfast" lacks tranquility.

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