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The Zero Theorem

The Zero Theorem

Nothing is Everything

2013107 minRMidcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Director
Terry Gilliam
Starring
Christoph Waltz, David Thewlis, Mélanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges

A computer hacker's goal to discover the reason for human existence continually finds his work interrupted thanks to the Management; this time, they send a teenager and lusty love interest to distract him.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Zero Theorem?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Zero Theorem streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Zero Theorem?

The Zero Theorem earns 3 badges, led by Award Winner and Box Office Flop.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Zero Theorem worth watching?

The Zero Theorem's Midcredits score is the 46th percentile of all films, from 88K ratings across 6 sources. 45% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

46th percentile

Better received than 46% of films

52nd percentile among Comedy46th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)46th
Approval (how many liked it)45th

60 /100

46th percentile of all films

52nd percentile among Comedy47th percentile among 2010s

Critics 50 · Audience 61

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

45% liked it

45th percentile of all films

50th percentile among Comedy44th percentile among 2010s
45% rated it 7–1055% rated it 1–6

Critics 49% · Audience 43%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 6 noms overall

95th percentile

88K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8.5M
Opening weekend$84K
Domestic gross$258K
Worldwide gross$1.5M

Returned 0.2× its budget — 48th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually distinctive Gilliam sci-fi fable about a man seeking meaning in a chaotic corporate dystopia, with a strong Waltz performance, but divisive for its wandering narrative and abstract themes.

Fans praised

  • Cerebral exploration of life's meaning and existential questions
  • Waltz's compelling lead performance and quirky character interactions
  • Visually rich, Gilliam-esque production design and art direction

Detractors panned

  • Muddled, aimless plot that never coheres or pays off
  • Pretentious, half-baked philosophizing and clichéd characters
  • Gaudy, cheap-looking visuals and grating tone

What stands out

Cinematography80

Visually striking with lush, cluttered Gilliam-esque art direction but sometimes gaudy and cheap-looking

ActingDivisive78

Waltz shines as the tormented Qohen, with praised supporting turns from Thierry, Thewlis, and Swinton, though Damon and Hedges draw mixed notices

AtmosphereDivisive75

Immersive dystopian world-building, evoking Gilliam's signature dark whimsy and satirical edge

OriginalityDivisive60

Fresh in concept but derivative of Gilliam's own Brazil and prior dystopian tropes

CharactersDivisive45

Archetypal and underdeveloped; Qohen is relatable to fans but seen as a one-note misfit by detractors, with stock supporting figures

Plot and storyDivisive35

Aimless, convoluted, and lacking a coherent payoff; literally a 'search for meaning' that drifts without resolution

Pacing35

Slow, meandering, and often tedious, failing to build momentum or sustain engagement

EndingDivisive35

Ambiguous and abstract; some appreciate the open-endedness, but most see it as anticlimactic and unsatisfying

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Zero Theorem like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
AbsurdMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: late
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Satirical · 5% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its existential themes with a mix of satirical absurdity and melancholy earnestness, undercutting Qohen's quest with ironic humor while pressing his search for meaning.
The rideThe film mixes absurd humour with melancholy as Qohen pursues his meaning-of-life call; the heaviest emotional weight lands in the final confrontation with Management.
StructureConventional beginning-middle-end structure, told linearly with no temporal manipulation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you pondering life's meaning and the cost of seeking definitive answers, with a quiet, ambiguous resolution.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% (this title) · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Liberation: Breaking free of a confining life (Room).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeQohen's journey is about breaking free from the obsessive search for life's meaning, embracing the void and human connection in a liberating turn.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsIsolation · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Cosmic stakes: Consequences reach beyond the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines Qohen's obsessive search for a meaning-of-life phone call while trapped in a system designed to prove meaninglessness.
StanceThe film questions whether life has inherent meaning, placing Qohen's personal quest against a nihilistic corporate scheme.

The world

Near futureUrbanDomesticInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · George Fenton
SettingA decaying church in a garish cyberpunk city, home to Mancom's offices.
MusicThe score blends orchestral and electronic elements to match the film's mix of human emotion and techno-dystopia.

Content guide

Is The Zero Theorem okay for kids?

R

The Zero Theorem is rated R: “Rated R for language and some sexuality/nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (27/100), sexual content at moderate (46/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (14/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Its language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Denmark15
  • GreeceΚ-15
  • Hungary16
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/12
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 10%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (67 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Zero Theorem have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Zero Theorem?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Christoph Waltz
as Qohen Leth
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
David Thewlis
as Joby
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mélanie Thierry
as Bainsley
Lucas Hedges
as Bob
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Matt Damon
as Management
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ben Whishaw
as Doctor
Tilda Swinton
as Dr. Shrink-Rom
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Sanjeev Bhaskar
as Doctor
Rupert Friend
as Man in Street Commercial
Peter Stormare
as Doctor
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Zero Theorem?

Movies like The Zero Theorem include Brazil (1985), 12 Monkeys (1995) and Downsizing (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Terry Gilliam, and most are dystopian films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 12 share its world: cyberpunk. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Zero Theorem?

140 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: cyberpunk. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.