Kattiera Nana I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

webmaster-3017 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 4/10www.thehkneo.com

gradyharp The Draft as a means for supplying the armed forces with manpower ended with the Vietnam War. DAY ZERO is a thought provoking film that raises the question of how today's youth would respond were the Draft reinstated as a result of the ever-growing Iraq War. Writer Robert Malkani and director Bryan Gunnar Cole respond to the question by creating three characters, long time friends, but each with a different response to the forced servitude in a wartime situation. As with any film dealing with controversial subject matter there are ideas presented that will disturb just about everyone no matter their stance on compulsive servitude, and it is that aspect that makes this film work so well in jolting our thinking.The time is New York, now, and the media has just announced the reinstatement of the Draft to cope with the drained national volunteer army. Three friends receive their draft notices simultaneously: successful lawyer George Rifkin (Chris Klein) whose marriage to a cancer survivor wife Molly (Ginnifer Goodwin) is part of the solid state of life he resists changing; fantasy writer Aaron Feller (Elijah Wood) who is in progress on a novel he must finish while his life is otherwise rather on shaky ground, controlled by his loopy therapist (Ally Sheedy); cab driver James Dixon (Jon Bernthal) who has a past history of being a loner and attempting to control violent behavior. The gamut runs from refusal to even consider the draft (Rifkin) to being nonplussed by the disruption to his psyche (Feller) to gung-ho ready to fight Dixon. The three young men have thirty days to Day Zero and in those thirty days each undergoes profound changes and introspection and self-discovery that very keenly illustrates the effect that such a governmental edict can have on today's youth.This is ensemble acting that rivals that of any fine film: there are no stars here, only actors portraying emotional changes that are universal in nature. And for a first film by director Cole it succeeds on most levels. In addition to the work of the four main actors there are fine cameos by young Sofia Vassilieva and by Elisabeth Moss. The film is meant to raise questions, challenge our current complacency and our views of the concept or war and military obligation. That it is disturbing is part of the power of the work. Grady Harp

WasteBot I doubt this film will ever serve as anything more than film school proof that a good story idea and a couple star actors alone do not make a film, even if you set it in New York City.The film largely focuses on the 3 draftees reactions as their report day approaches. While you can appreciate some of the inconsistencies and complexities in character, it's also largely cliché characters and some of the inconsistencies defy all logic, both formal and psychological. The ending looked like, for a moment, it was going to resolve all this and make up for the complete lack of insight the rest of the film provides, but once again fails. The result is a mess that's more annoying than entertaining.

maryschweitzer I was fortunate to be at the premiere of this film on 4/29/07. Day Zero is set in a future in which we are still fighting in Iraq and the draft is reinstated. It is a character study centered on 3 very different men, how they react to a draft notice, and what they do with the 30 days they have before they must report (Day Zero).The 3 men: Aaron (Elijah Wood) is a writer with one successful book already published and currently working on his second book. George (Chris Klein) is a successful attorney from a well-to-do family who has just made partner in his law firm and is married to a woman who has recently survived cancer. Dixon (Jon Bernthal) is a cab driver who seems content with his life – he lives alone and is good friends with a young girl in his building.We learn that George and Dixon were in school together and that Dixon went to jail (or some kind of juvenile lockup) for 2 years when he beat up some guys that were bullying George. We unfortunately aren't told much about how these 2 met and came to be friends with Aaron or anything else about Aaron's background.The reaction of the 3 men to the draft notice is quite telling for their characters: Aaron immediately throws up, George begins to think about how he can get out of being drafted, and Dixon is immediately excited and ready to go (and angry at George for not wanting to serve).Aaron provides what comic relief there is in the first half of the movie. He is incredibly insecure. He has a therapist, but his therapist obviously has no interest in him and does crosswords and her nails during their sessions. The fact that Aaron doesn't seem to be bothered by this is another example of his severe insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Aaron is immediately worried about being killed there – and about being killed first because he won't be liked. Aaron makes a list of 10 things he wants to do before leaving, which his friends laugh at and make fun of when he shows them.The movie is beautifully acted and photographed with a great soundtrack. It is clear during the Q&A that both the director and writer are anti-Iraq war, but they don't shove that down our throats in the movie. I thought they presented a very balanced view of the impact of receiving a draft notice on 3 very different personalities – Dixon who is willing to serve is not written as a "bad guy" because he wants to serve. In fact it is George who is written at several points as the least likable of the characters as he tries to get out of serving. I am sure there are those who will say this is an anti-war movie but for me it simply showed the toll it takes on 3 very different personalities/lives as they face the real likelihood of dying in a war. And it also shows the unfairness of who has to serve and who doesn't have to.Elijah Wood did an amazing job – there is no sign of him at all in this character. Aaron has none of Elijah's poise, confidence, or joy of life. His funny scenes got good laughs from the audience and my heart broke for Aaron as he clearly sunk deeper and deeper into his breakdown with no one to help him – not his therapist or his friends. I think this is the most complex character Elijah Wood has ever played and he did an amazing job.My biggest complaint about the film is that Aaron's character wasn't developed more by the writer and director. I felt cheated not knowing how he came to be friends with George and Dixon (esp. since we are told how George and Dixon came to be friends) and why Aaron is estranged from his family. But most importantly what made Aaron make his final decision – was it fear of death or fear that he couldn't live up to his wish to "serve with honor"? Or did he simply have a psychotic break? There is nothing simple about Aaron – I wish we had been able to get to know him better. But that didn't prevent me from enjoying this film and recommending it highly.This movie deserves to be seen by people on all sides of the Iraq war issue – it presents many sides of the debate and I hope will open many meaningful discussions about the war and the implications of reinstating the draft.