Zero Day Review: Robert De Niro’s Paranoid Political Netflix Series Arrives At A Weird Time – SlashFilm

After an in medias res second that’s later revealed to be a really low-cost faux-out (critically, of us, it is okay to not begin your huge streaming collection with an in medias res scene), “Zero Day” cuts to the chase by unleashing a devastating cyberattack in its first couple of minutes. The assault solely lasts a minute, and but, that is sufficient time to stitch whole chaos and end in hundreds of deaths because of the full failure of know-how. The assault additionally comes with an ominous message despatched to seemingly each telephone in America: “THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.” Determined for solutions, U.S. President Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett, benefiting from an underwritten half) decides to assemble a fee to analyze the assault. Picked to guide this fee is former President George Mullen (De Niro), who we’re informed is without doubt one of the final American presidents to take pleasure in bipartisan assist from the American public. Mullen solely served one time period, deciding to not run for re-election within the wake of a household tragedy. However whereas his time in workplace was brief, he stays in style, and is seen as the proper option to get to analyze the assault.

Mullen is apprehensive: with assist from Congress, the fee has been granted the ability to do nearly something, basically shredding the Structure within the identify of attending to the reality. Mullen’s spouse, former First Girl Sheila Mullen (Joan Allen), tells him that he may very well be strolling right into a political entice by agreeing to guide the fee, whereas Mullen’s daughter, Congresswoman Alexandra Mullen (Lizzy Caplan) flat-out tells him to not take the job. Mullen, nonetheless, decides that he is the very best man for the gig as a result of he is a person of integrity and might steer issues in the fitting route … or so he thinks. In fact, nearly instantly, the previous President begins embracing dictator-like tendencies. Earlier than the collection has ended, Mullen will instruct these working below him to spherical-up seemingly harmless residents and in a single occasion, interact in full-blown torture. Time and time once more, Mullen tries to justify his actions within the identify of doing what’s proper for the nation, however the present makes it blatantly clear that this can be a man giving in to amoral darkness. At the identical time, “Zero Day” additionally appears to need to let Mullen off the hook by suggesting he isn’t in his proper thoughts, both resulting from sickness or another nefarious rationalization. Within the midst of all this, the aftermath of the primary assault and the looming menace of extra assaults to return successfully tears the nation aside, with the true probability of societal collapse looming.

De Niro is generally reserved within the a part of Mullen, though he appears to essentially thrive within the moments the place the ex-POTUS turns into thuggish and violent. To make the character extra fascinating, there is a working bit that has Mullen seemingly affected by each a tragedy in his previous and likewise the very actual menace that he may be affected by some sort of neurological impairment. That is highlighted by having Mullen always hear the Intercourse Pistols music “Who Killed Bambi?” in his head, and if I am being brutally trustworthy, I need to admit that I want the showrunners had picked a much less annoying tune to play over and time and again. By the one hundred and fiftieth time the completely terrible music performed over the soundtrack, I used to be prepared to show the showcase or not less than hit the mute button.

De Niro is backed up by an enormous, acquainted forged — along with Bassett, Allen, and Caplan, the collection additionally options Jesse Plemons as Roger, Mullen’s proper-hand man who’s as much as some shady stuff, Dan Stevens as Evan Inexperienced, a loudmouth pundit who appears to be an amalgamation of Alex Jones and numerous different divisive, slimeball media personalities who realized they might make a fortune spouting conspiracy theories and unfiltered hatred, Matthew Modine because the sinister Speaker of the Home, Gaby Hoffmann as an Elon Musk-like tech large, Connie Britton as Mullen’s former Chief of Employees, and the all the time welcome Invoice Camp because the director of the CIA. All of those performers are proficient and do high-quality work right here, however Stevens, who makes a speciality of enjoying freaky little weirdos, makes the most important impression, in all probability as a result of his character will get to go so huge and over-the-high as he riles up his fanbase.