Boards
The Zero Theorem
It admirably tried to recreate the unsettling tone that Gilliam can conjure, and partially succeeded, but was let down because for all it's bleakness it didn't have the requisite, genuine sadness and ire that counterbalances all the zaniness in his better work. It felt like a capable but limited cover version of his greatest hits, and for the first time I found the fussiness with which he packs his frames kind of annoying. I did like how dated it all looked though, it was a candy coloured vision of the future that seemed beamed in from 1992, which seemed fitting considering how quickly fashion cycles around and regurgitates itself, although more likely this is because TG stopped paying attention to the yoofs around 2 decades ago. Melanie Thierry's character is handled pretty poorly though, it's a little embarrassing. Waltz puts in a decent showing but it's difficult having a protagonist who shuns human contact and emotion without it being a bit of a drag to watch. It's still definitely worth seeing, if only to help convince the powers that be that he deserves another shot at a genuine late career masterpiece (although I still think that's Tideland). The ending does help alleviate some of the issues and longueurs and awkwardness of the rest of the film, and it's miraculous how complete a world he's managed to assemble on a shoestring budget. As a warm up, a bit of an exercise after a very trying decade-plus, it's worthwhile. My girlfriend, who has never really got on with Terry Gilliam films, really enjoyed it, so it's possible I'm casting too critical an eye over it because he's been such a huge part of why I love watching films and I expect a lot from him.