Day Zero

Day Zero

Day Zero

Day Zero

There seems to be a continuing trend(?) to produce (promising) movies these days with (B) Unfinished scripts...where they makeup the last half as they go along to get a 'finished movie'. (B) Lame scripts (that somebody's brother-in-law wrote) and then get embellished to get a 'finished movie'. (C) Indy scripts that get edited (down to the quick) to save time and money and get passed off as a 'finished movie'... Day Zero...Is a small movie that could have been much more...I left unsatisfied when the movie 'just ended'...I don't expect or need a 'Rings Trilogy' to be satisfied, but would have enjoyed the effort 'a great deal more' with only 'a bit more story'....Otherwise, I'd say 'Zero' is well-written, cast, art directed, shot, etc, etc. But - considering the magnitude of the questions it raises, a bit more storyline would have made this a much better movie effort. The large selection of Vietnam movies from the eighties run the gamut of poor efforts to great movies, but the main difference is that storyline(s) are generally 'more complete'...This movie would have been much better had the storyline (A) been more in-depth concerning the 30 days and the 3 friends...or (B) been more in-depth concerning where and what takes place - after the 30 days...It would also have been much more satisfying from a storyline point of view...Either way, the result we are left with has an incomplete feel and leaves one wanting to see the rest of the story...Possibly there might be a trilogy in the works (or at least a chapter-2)...Sir Vertual

This movie was entertaining. Am a guy that really only values entertainment when watching movies, yes their is a political agenda behind the plot. Especially in this political climate right before the elections, this movie could have an impact one way or another. Or just be food for thought, and create chit chat about the issue of the draft War coming back, a plausible premise. But I found the movie entertaining, to the point of being amused, and had quite a few chuckles and took it more like a movie that was intended to entertain than actual message movie. Spoiler alert parts that made me chuckle . Chris Klein character wants to bail out and he just got drafted, he figures into going into a gay bar(dude is married) and hooking up, because that way he will be able to avoid the draft, dude instead goes crazy in it. Elijah goes has a list of things to do and hooking up with a hooker part is quite amusing, and the kid literally goes insane around the movie. It was funny. Then we have the tough boy, that wants to go and kick some ass and feels his friends are cowards for not wanting to defend their country . He gets into it with anyone that doesn't agree. But the guy finds a love, and then you see a small transformation on the way he feels about going to War. The movie was entertaining, the premise is not that flawed, but the writers went a little bit over the top in a point of trying to get their point across. But was quite entertaining, it was supposed to be a message movie, I thought it was a funny movie, it just came across that way, but it was entertaining, that is why I give it a 7.

this could have been really interesting, if it hadn't got bogged down with the inevitable patriotic do your bit bull that you just knew was coming. I'd have to say I was very disappointed when the guy who questions the motives on America's war on Iraq turns up to do his bit to fight for his country. a half as$ed attempt to show the film makers are looking at all sides proves they were only ever going to show one. and the ridiculous bit in the beginning where the macho loser says yeah I want to fight them cos of what they did in 911???? like we don't all know that Iraq had nothing to do with 911. lame lame lame. a good opportunity wasted. who wrote and funded this again?

Tagline: An uninteresting failure with a competent display by Elijah Wood Review by Neo: To say I am disappointed, it is a clear understatement. It is rare that a film can possesses such a fine display from one of the co-stars in Elijah Wood, but still ends up a total disappointment. Day Zero doesn't work like a movie, it doesn't provide a movie experience, but at no times, does it feel real either. It is a film with an adequate premise about the possibility of drafting civilians into the war against terror. For once, I just cannot see any redeeming factor for this movie. With just Wood showing potential, the rest of the cast with Chris Klein in particular produces an emotionless and petty display that is more wooden than anything. Likewise, Jon Bernthal, tries hard, but fails to convince owing to lack of on-screen charisma. Basically, a film is bounded to fail, when the story does not work, nothing really tend to happen and along with fail performances from the leads. Day Zero is easily a big disappointment. The movie goes like this: Three best friends are about to face the prospect of being drafted into national service on the war against terror. With just 30 days left, the film shows how different people react, feel and do in the remaining days before reporting on duty. Let's focus on the rare display of positiveness coming out of this film. Elijah Wood has been trying for years to shed his image of being typecast as Lord of Rings and there is no doubting that he is one actor with potential to burn. I thought he was more than convincing in his role and the way he depicted the torment of an artist who is at loggerhead with the fact that he is going to be killing human beings face to face is almost daunting to endure. Being the only shining light in the film, including a memorable moment in front of the mirror where he screams at himself. It is certainly a rare moment of quality that fails to lighten up the dullness of the flick. As mentioned before, Chris Klein may have the leading man looks, but his acting is far too disconnecting to the audience. Despite having the chance to play a fairly conflicted role, Klein is not impressive and fails miserably. While, Jon Bernthal actually tries to act and does slightly better than Klein, it is needless to say that the guy has no on-screen charisma and perhaps will fit in better on the small screen than the big one. All in all, Day Zero seems to want to express some sort of message about the divided opinion on the war against terror (i.e. how it is the other peoples' war or how we are defending our country), but in reality, it never hits on these issues seriously. Instead the film tries to focus on how people and humans react to this situation and how ordinary people will be affected by issues like these. While it is interesting to think about the prospect, the filmmaker fails to add an human touch to the proceeding and the effect is by the 45 minutes mark, the audience is looking at their watches, thinking, when is this film going to end. By the time, it ends, I am unable to feel or even try to feel for what has happened, as the film is impossible to relate to and almost difficult to connect. Day Zero is really a film that probably deserves zero marks, but for the performance of Elijah Wood, there are some brownie points given … (Neo 2009) I rate it 4/10 www.thehkneo.com

The idea of the movie is not bad: three guys get drafted and we get to have part of their feelings, emotions and fears for the last 30 days before day zero, the day they have to sign in for the army.Those three guys are very different characters, they have nothing in common so we wonder how can they actually be friends.Apart from that, the film is very realistic.It gets also political on the war in Iraq and it shows both conflict parties: those for the war and those against it.It shows us who are the people supporting the war: lower class,propaganda brainwashed, uneducated, ordinary people from the street like cab driver Dixon, who thinks that fighting in Iraq is defending the freedom in America. His friend, lawyer Rifkin sees no point in the war and tries to use his daddy's connections to get "undrafted".The third guy is writer Feller (Wood) who doesn't really have an opinion because his mind is too occupied with the fear of dying in the war.He is weak, mentally and physically. The film is good, good acting, good script.I don't regret seeing it and I'm sure most people wont.It's not a must see, but if you come across it you should give it a chance.Seven stars for being good but not special.

**SPOILERS** The film "Day Zero" takes place in the not so very distant future with the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan spilling over their borders and turning into a major regional war in the both Middle and Far East. With the President and Congress having reinstated the military draft that's been dormant since 1973 tens of millions of young Amercans, from 18 to 35 years old, are now in danger of being called up by their government to fight this widening conflict. The movie revolves around the lives of three friends and former high school classmates now having received notices from their local draft boards to report within 30 days to be inducted into the armed services. The three starting with cab driver James Nixon, Jon Bernthal, are anything but excited in fighting a war that they, for the most part, what to have nothing to do with. Aaon Feller, Elijah Wood, has been seeing a psychiatrist Dr. Reynolds, Alley Sheedy, for some seven years about his very deep sense of insecurity in both his personal and, Aaron is a writer, professional life. Aaron and James friend George Rifkin, Chris Klein, is a successful corporate lawyer and has a wife Molly,Jennifer Goodwin, recovering from a five year battle with cancer. All George needs now is to be separated from both his high paying job and ill, but recovering, wife for a two year stint in the hot dangerous and bloody Middle or Far East. The film has the three friends try to come to grips with what their facing with James more or less deciding to get drafted. Being out on the streets of New York City driving a cab is good training, in the dangers he runs into, for James in being a combat infantry man. Aaron who's terrified of everything in life due to his acute insecurity is now on the verge of doing something really stupid to prevent himself from getting drafted. ***SPOILER ALERT***It's in the end that Aaron after trying to make up for all the things he missed in life, like becoming a skinhead and getting heavily tattooed like an outlaw biker, does in fact get himself out from being drafted. Aaron does that by making himself totally useless to serve in the US Military or anywhere else. Gerore for his part is going through a life changing experience going from suicidal to finally accepting his fate, being drafted. George soon realized that running away from his responsibility as an American citizen while his good friend James doesn't will only come back to haunt him in the future. The first Hollywood movie that finally confronts what's been happening in the world since the attacks of September 11, 2001 in how it effects everyone in the US, not just those in the volunteer US Military, in putting their butts on the line in fighting for their country. The film "Day Zero" to its credit doesn't go into the political aspects of the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Were not battered over the head In if their worth fighting or dying for. The film focus only on the social aspects of serving one's country in times of war regardless of the political underpinning, good or bad, that those in power have in calling for armed conflict against a foreign power. ****SPOILERS****The movie ends with a massive on location antiwar demonstration in New York City that actually took place on April 29, 2006 with both George and James as well as the by now mentally disturbed Aaron participating in it. That would be the last day they would have the chance to show what they feel about the war that they soon will be obligated to fight as members of the US Armed Forces.

AFTER reading some viewers reviews HERE I DECIDED to watch this feature because it is reportedly "balanced". after i DID watch it, at least i know which style and type of posts i should be avoiding from now on... straight to the point, this is a PRO- war movie( very cunning, i give it that). it definitely targets young "stand-up" guys and attempts to give people a subconscious reason as why we have to AGREE with what is going on( even have a speech about "choices" people have in America and take it for granted because the youth is the "*" generation apparently). basically the whole thing consists of 3 youngsters in their struggle to accept the draft or not. by the time end scene IS happening , the movie has transmitted its propagandistic vibe. while it starts with a very much ANTI- war vibe it leads the viewer to believe that there is ONLY one way.this movie paves the WAY to drafting legislation. (i doubt that will happen simply because this administration will prefer private armies ,"blackwater" for example, that are not responsible to the any international tribunals upon killing civilians)it is doing so by TRYING to make choice easier for you to the point you actually could believe that it IS your choice for the "best"."are you man enough"." the survival of the fittest" , etc... the director forgets that today's youth are BETTER informed then the previous generation and playing with people feelings, in well to know "i am with you" manner. will not get the message across.( apparently, you left someone to its fate like being raped, you have to fix that by going to war to "man-up". people can do that easily here by throwing this administration out of the office as well no?). at one point it even tells new-yorkers that they should be more concerned with doing the "first-strike" because they would be the first target if "someone" acquires "weapons of mass-destruction"( so wait... this actually must be about Iran since everyone knew, by the time this feature was produced,that Iraq had no such "evil" things?). what a DEEP INSULT TO THE 9/11 VICTIMS Memory! another interesting observation is that while playing with the idea of deserting, the option is never considered out of FEAR. well guess what, i am in Toronto, Canada , and we have many American deserters here and they do not seem "pussies" at all. by contrary they are OUTSPOKEN, just as any FREE individual DOES INDEED HAVE THE CHOICE TO do in a democracy. i quiet had a laugh at this aspect particularly. this has been marketed as an "indy" film. i assure it is not.IF the subject matter would been different and not propagandistic i would give this production a 6-7 due to good acting but slower towards the end( another observation point i have in spotting propaganda; when the movie slows down towards end to make sure your sentiments and feelings can properly have a meltdown, get you to sleep, hypnotize, and make your dreams play the role of influencing your conscious when waking up). well, you can TRY to enjoy it if you already have made-up your mind. good luck with that.