Robert De Niro Excels in Netflix’s Uneven Political Thriller

On the age of 81, and with a profession that is lasted over half a century, Robert De Niro has performed nearly each kind of character there’s, from the nice to the outright villainous. In Netflix’s new six-episode restricted collection, Zero Day, which releases February 20 on Netflix, De Niro dons the function of a former U.S. President. It is considered one of his most intriguing roles, with George Mullen first launched as some virtuous Josiah Bartlet kind earlier than his flaws are revealed. Making Mullen a well-rounded, reasonable character is crucial for the plot — as a result of Zero Day includes a terrorist cyberattack dedicated towards America, with Mullen then put in command of discovering out what occurred.

As with many political thrillers, Zero Day depends on its twists and turns, and never all of them work. Nonetheless, with a fully packed all-star solid made up not solely of De Niro, however Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Plemons, Joan Allen, Connie Britton, Dan Stevens, Matthew Modine, and Angela Bassett, Zero Day is an enthralling performing masterclass, which retains the collection afloat even when it begins to tug underneath its personal weight. When you beloved The West Wing, Homeland, and related exhibits, Zero Day shall be proper up your alley.

What Is ‘Zero Day’ About?

On condition that the collection is co-created and run by Eric Newman, the mind behind Narcos, and each episode is directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, best known for Mad Men and Homeland, you realize from the leap what you are moving into and the way it will be offered. Early on in Zero Day‘s first episode, we’re advised that Mullen was the final U.S. President who was capable of get issues performed throughout occasion strains. He was extremely popular and will have run once more, however selected to not as a result of his son died. The preliminary scenes are very dialogue-driven, the place we’re advised how nice Mullen is as an alternative of seeing it.

America is then put to the check when cyberterrorists assault, shutting off energy to the whole lot countrywide for a full minute. Everybody then will get a message on their cellphone promising that this can occur once more. Eyes flip to the present U.S. President, Evelyn Mitchell (Bassett), who should discover out who’s behind the assault, which killed hundreds, earlier than it occurs once more. Mitchell requests that Mullen lead a particular fee to unravel issues and convey the terrorists to justice. Along with his recognition, and the way well-liked he’s by either side, success needs to be imminent. Regardless of the individuals’s religion in him, Mullen has his personal demons, and greater than as soon as, he is tempted to cross the road of what is proper and authorized to get the job performed.

‘Zero Day’ Misses Out on Depicting the Full Influence of the Assault

A political thriller is simply pretty much as good as its inciting incident, and that is the place Zero Day misses the mark. The terrorist assault ought to have been made to be a giant cope with a large scope, however as an alternative, we solely earn fast glimpses of it on a restricted scale. We’re advised of the devastation, we’re advised that three thousand individuals died, however we do not see the devastation. This doesn’t mean that Zero Day needs to turn into a Roland Emmerich disaster piece, with explosions galore and planes dropping out of the sky, however the shock and emotional affect of what occurs would not land when the viewer is not made aware about it.

Associated

Robert De Niro Is Obsessed With Wesley Snipes in This B-Side to ‘The King of Comedy’

Die-hard fandom takes on an entire new which means on this Tony Scott film.

As an alternative, Zero Day is extra centered on the aftermath surrounding Mullen’s interior circle. Folks within the streets are scared and indignant, and prospects storm a financial institution when it is shut down, however these photos are few and much between. Zero Day needs to maintain the eye on George Mullen and his individuals, however it might have helped the collection to take a couple of minutes and go away his aspect. The dying toll alone alludes to our personal actuality of the 9/11 assaults and the concern afterward, however think about if that had all simply been a film, and we have been solely advised what had occurred on the World Commerce Middle as an alternative of seeing the unforgettable horror.

Compelling Characters and a Tense Final Episode Make ‘Zero Day’ Worthwhile

Nevertheless, Zero Day makes up for this story choice by stacking its solid. De Niro is entrance and middle in most scenes, and contemplating his personal political leanings, which regularly make him a divisive determine, does the collection run the danger of changing into a liberal lovefest? There may be, admittedly, a few of that right here, with out changing into too heavy-handed. With Mullen being in his eighties in addition to a person who labored with either side, had a son with drug points, and dropped out of the Presidential race, it is onerous not to attract real-world comparisons — they usually do not finish there. Evelyn Mitchell is a Black lady President who went to varsity in California, and Dan Stevens performs a raging conspiracy theorist named Evan Inexperienced together with his personal TV present, whereas Gaby Hoffman stars as Monica Kidder, a tech billionaire who owns her personal social media app and is alleged to be autistic.

Fortunately, Zero Day presents a world that solely initially looks like our personal however then goes in its personal route, particularly as soon as the search is on for the terrorists. Everybody thinks Russia is behind the assault, however that will be too straightforward. Mullen is joined by those that each assist and oppose him, and that is the place Zero Day actually hits its stride. Lizzy Caplan just isn’t solely Mullen’s daughter, Alex; she’s additionally a Congresswoman upset in regards to the fee. Jesse Plemons is Roger, George’s most trusted advisor, a person who will do something for his boss, however who has his darkish secrets and techniques. Connie Britton is introduced in as Valerie, the previous chief of employees, and Matthew Modine is Richard Dreyer, the opposition Speaker of the Home who would not consider in Mullen’s mission. The one failure is Joan Allen as Robert’s spouse, Sheila. She is an extremely talented actress who has starred in political roles earlier than, however right here she’s frustratingly decreased to the function of the spouse.

Because the plot deepens, Mullen is revealed to be removed from the proper President we thought he was. He makes errors and crosses the road, however with out changing into a caricature. On prime of that, he has unusual visions and hears voices, leaving these round him involved. Is he the goal of a psychological assault, or is he dropping his thoughts? All of this results in a twist ending that appears over-the-top at first however makes extra sense because the layers are pulled away. The finale, particularly, is Zero Day‘s greatest installment, as Mullen learns the reality, after which has to struggle for his personal life to reveal the culprits. Zero Day goals excessive and comes up short of the heights of shows like Homeland, however at six episodes, it manages to be thrilling with out overstaying its welcome.

Zero Day

Considered one of our biggest actors retains an uneven story entertaining in Netflix’s Zero Day.

Launch Date

2025 – 2024

Community

Netflix

Writers

Dee Johnson

Execs & Cons

• Robert De Niro excels as a conflicted character who is not all the time good.
• An almost overloaded solid is used to one of the best of their talents.
• The twist of who’s behind the assaults is stunning with out being unrealistic.
• The final scenes are stuffed with immense weight and pressure.

• A lot of the preliminary terror assault is not proven, lessening the emotional affect.
• Joan Alllen is underused and is relegated to the spouse function.