Jean Luc Herbulot’s Zero takes two strangers and plants them in a deadly situation, fighting against the clock with odd tasks that mean death for seemingly innocent people.
The two men (only referred to as #1 and #, played by co-writer Hus Miller and Cam McHarg, respectively) have found themselves in a Dakar village with elaborate bombs attached to their chests. They are told to work together by an unseen antagonist who communicates with them via a mobile (voiced by the unmistakable Willem Dafoe). At each location they go to, an unrelated bomb explodes, leading the media to think these guys are terrorists. As the clocks count down, the ramifications get higher.
Rather than a simple ‘race against time’ thriller, Zero gets deep into a socio-political landscape in which the men are mere pawns in a greater, deadlier picture. Herbulot keeps things moving at a frantic pace, making it always entertaining even when the more disturbing aspects come into play. The pair have to grapple with their morals as well as their impending mortality. The urgency and pressure permeate through every scene. Occasionally, he briefly focuses on other characters, all given different numbers and impending countdowns. The story is bigger than the action we’re following.
In the final scene, we’re left reflecting on what we’ve seen in a different, much more worrying light. Yet for all the action and frantic tension, Zero is full of humour – not in a Hollywood buddy-buddy way, but naturalistic, complementing the heart-pounding thrills.
ZERO is in UK cinemas on July 25th and digital platforms on August 11th.
