neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Zero Day
	Ben Coccio Andre Keuck, Calvin Robertson, Rachel Benichak, Chris Coccio 2003		In the mode of the low-budget post-modern horror movie "The Blair Witch Project," "Zero Day" is a feature film made up of a fictional video diary and faked archival material. But "Zero Day" leaves the realm of "Witch"-y fantasy, instead echoing the Columbine high-school slaughter and other similar tragedies to effectively generate true horror in a mundane situation. Even with the knowledge that it's a dramatic enterprise, it feels like uncovered evidence. The premise is elementary: Two outcast high-schoolers, Andre (Andre Keuck) and Cal (Calvin Robertson), are a self-proclaimed Army of Two. Under the noses of family and acquaintances, these bright, troubled boys plan a deadly assault on their school, and shoot video footage of the preparations and perpetration. Rather than lending an amateur air to "Zero Day," the use of non-professional actors, including the actual families of the lead performers, enhances the film's sensation of reality. An undercurrent of distress and a mood of despair pervade the various video clips that show Andre and Cal at "work," at play and, most tellingly, under duress from their peers. The film, economically written and directed by Ben Coccio, is disturbing; it may also serve as a wake-up call for parents and teachers.