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 certainly 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, real looking character is crucial for the plot — as a result of Zero Day entails a terrorist cyberattack dedicated in opposition to America, with Mullen then put accountable for 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 completely 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 appearing masterclass, which retains the collection afloat even when it begins to tug beneath its personal weight. For those who beloved The West Wing, Homeland, and comparable exhibits, Zero Day will likely be proper up your alley.

What Is ‘Zero Day’ About?

Provided that the collection is co-created and run by Eric Newman, the thoughts behind Narcos, and each episode is directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, greatest identified for Mad Males and Homeland, from the leap what you are entering into and the way it is going to 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 completed throughout celebration traces. He was highly regarded 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 a substitute of seeing it.

America is then put to the take a look at when cyberterrorists assault, shutting off energy to every thing countrywide for a full minute. Everybody then will get a message on their telephone promising that this may 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 1000’s, earlier than it occurs once more. Mitchell requests that Mullen lead a particular fee to resolve issues and produce the terrorists to justice. Together with his reputation, and the way well-liked he’s by either side, success needs to be imminent. Regardless of the folks’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 completed.

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

A political thriller is barely nearly 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 a substitute, we solely earn fast glimpses of it on a restricted scale. We’re advised of the devastation, we’re advised that three thousand folks died, however we do not see the devastation. This doesn’t suggest that Zero Day wants to show right into a Roland Emmerich catastrophe piece, with explosions galore and planes dropping out of the sky, however the shock and emotional influence of what occurs would not land when the viewer is not made aware of it.

As a substitute, Zero Day is extra centered on the aftermath surrounding Mullen’s interior circle. Folks within the streets are scared and offended, and clients storm a financial institution when it is shut down, however these pictures are few and much between. Zero Day desires to maintain the eye on George Mullen and his folks, however it could have helped the collection to take a couple of minutes and depart his aspect. The dying toll alone alludes to our personal actuality of the 9/11 assaults and the worry 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 a substitute of seeing the unforgettable horror.

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

Nevertheless, Zero Day makes up for this story resolution 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 chance of turning into a liberal lovefest? There may be, admittedly, a few of that right here, with out turning 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 exhausting not to attract real-world comparisons — and so they 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 along with his personal TV present, whereas Gaby Hoffman stars as Monica Kidder, a tech billionaire who owns her personal social media app and is claimed to be autistic.

Fortunately, Zero Day presents a world that solely initially seems like our personal however then goes in its personal path, particularly as soon as the search is on for the terrorists. Everybody thinks Russia is behind the assault, however that might 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 concerning 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 workers, and Matthew Modine is Richard Dreyer, the opposition Speaker of the Home who would not imagine in Mullen’s mission. The one failure is Joan Allen as Robert’s spouse, Sheila. She is a particularly gifted 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 right President we thought he was. He makes errors and crosses the road, however with out turning into a caricature. On high 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 shedding 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 show the culprits. Zero Day goals excessive and comes up wanting the heights of exhibits like Homeland, however at six episodes, it manages to be thrilling with out overstaying its welcome.