Zero Day

(Written for class.)  As a fictional film inspired by the Columbine massacre, “Zero Day” revolves around Cal Gabriel and Andre Kriegman, two Iroquois High School seniors, as they spend over a year preparing for their school shooting assault. Though other Columbine-inspired movies exist -- such as the Palme d’Or award winner “Elephant” by Gus Van Sant -- “Zero Day” holds its own against them with its unique found footage cinematography style, intricate sowing of factual events, and visceral expose of violence in school shooters.  The found-footage cinematography, while riveting for the audience, is also based in real life and meant to emulate the aforementioned “basement tapes” by Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Just as film characters Andre Kriegman and Cal Gabriel periodically film tapes, updating the audience on their preparatory “missions” like acquiring weaponry or stating their reasoning for the attack, a transcription of the Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold “basement tapes” features similar periodic filming, gathering of firearms, and hateful speeches.  At one point, Cal Gabriel states, “We acted alone. We obtained the weapons alone. And nobody knew that we were going to do this. Our -- our -- our parents had nothing to do with this. And, so everybody knows, they didn’t… know anything about it.” This line mirrors Dylan Klebold (who Cal Gabriel’s character is based upon) stating, “We used [Mark Manes.] They had no clue. Don’t blame them. And don’t fucking arrest them. Don’t arrest any of our friends, or family members or our co-workers. They had no fucking clue. Don’t arrest anyone because they didn’t have a fucking clue.” Later, Andre Kriegman says, “Eventually we’ll all die out.” Eric Harris (who Andre Kriegman’s character is based on) similarly remarks in the “basement tapes,” “You all need to die! We need to die too!” The brooding monologue of Cal Gabriel and Andre Kriegman is startling, making audiences such as myself physically shiver, and reiterate in our minds the horror such a thing occurred in the real world; helping to ground the film, and maintain an observational tone rather than a romantic one.  Other similarities between the characters and real-life pop up periodically: both Andre Kriegman and Eric Harris worked at a pizza chain, both Cal Gabriel and Dylan Klebold attended prom 3 days before the shootings, and Andre Kriegman referred to Cal and him as the “Army of Two”, whereas Eric Harris called their preparations a “two-man war.” The personal lives of the lead actors, Calvin Robertson and Andre Keuck, also account for the realism of their characters: the two were friends when cast in the film, just as their characters and Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were. Calvin Robertson and Andre Keuck were also truly teenagers during filming, and many of their lines were encouraged to be improvised. Finally, the actors who played Cal Gabriel and Andre Kriegman’s parents were Calvin Robertson and Andre Keuck’s real-life parents, adding a whole new layer of authenticity to the movie.  In all, Ben Coccio’s utilization of factual events, wrapping them up in a fictional plot and characters, aided to create an engaging reenactment of the Columbine massacre for unwitting watchers. “Zero Day” is interesting to both history buffs well-versed in Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold’s behaviour and students with no knowledge of Columbine at all—making for a truly impressive film.  (This portion not written for class.) Post watching the viewing commentary via Ben Coccio, Andre Keuck, and (a very late) Calvin Robertson, I can’t write this review without mentioning how impressive a narrative Coccio puts to play in this movie. He specifically brings up how the deciding factor in Cal and Andre’s decision to commit the massacre on the school is never revealed, and how he wanted “Zero Day” to truly, simply just be a leading up to their final mission; no outward theories as to why imposed on them, because it doesn’t really matter. Coccio says (with me paraphrasing here) that even if he could go up to the afterlife and ask people who’ve done this very thing what made them do it, the reason would never equate—which is why he chose simply to show the how, how, how. I also find it incredibly interesting how the story was always doomed, right from the start. The moment, the decision to attack their school, was made long before us—and we the audience are just that: watchers, bystanders to the little world Cal and Andre show us through their camera (and, later through the security camera footage at Iroquois.) It’s also not just these complex characters that twist us, because Coccio makes considerable work of the audience too: that final scene, that culmination of this more-than-a-year-long chronicle, makes us sick to our stomaches because Coccio let us become intimate with the details of the boys’ lives: friends, family, hobbies, future commitments (via the “Zero Day” Essex County website Coccio put up, where I was chilled to note how normal a life Cal and Andre led until then) and then, just as mercilessly as them, made us watch it all be expended by film’s end.  Truly so, so much to say about this film. For that, we all say, thank you! Ben Coccio💜