Day Zero

So I have begun a task for the summer -- watch as many Netflix movies as possible and very brutally critique them. Mind you, I am just a random blunt person with a computer, but I will try to be as humorous as possible.

For the first installment, I will be talking about "Day Zero." The directorial debut of Brian Gunnar Cole, it stars Elijah Wood and Chris Kline, along with a slew of intense actors of our generation who have numerous credits to their names. The overall plot is a hypothetical situation: What if there was a draft right now? The Netflix summary says it is set in a not-too-distant-future version of America, but the clothes and settings are modern. The movie centers around three friends who obviously get drafted. As is typical, the three friends have dramatically different lives. One (Wood) is a writer, another, a lawyer (Kline) and the third (a lesser-known Jon Brenthal) a cab driver who has -- what else -- but an attitude problem.
Since the three friends have a vastly different lifestyles, it is obvious conflict will ensue and their relationship changes, a boring concept that has been played out many a times.
I am tired of Elijah Wood being the timid, cute-as-a-button dude who has never been in a fight. I love his eyes and he is a great actor, but I am tired of the cliché role he has time and time again. Come on buddy, do something daring like "Sin City" again. His take on the "I look cute but I will eat your face while you watch" character was amazing.
Now Jon Brenthal’s character, regardless of his stereotypical attitude, is great. He does have a soft side, however, and he befriends a neighborhood girl whose mother looks like a crackhead from a subway station. In one scene where he is courting a young female, he perfectly exemplifies the aggressiveness women find attractive. Yeah, he needs to calm down on the "I can't wait to fight some Iraqi pricks notion."
Chris Kline, on the other hand, is just a jerk. He takes on the role of a corporate lawyer who makes partner right before he gets drafted, and asks daddy to help him get out. There is one scene where he does get a well-deserved beating. Sorry, but I hate this guy and think he is a crappy actor.
The movie basically surrounds the 30 days they have before they must report for duty and the typical male bonding experience will no doubt make you want to cringe a couple of times. It is a good idea, I give them that much, but the shoddy camera work, coupled with awkward scene set-ups, it is no wonder this movie went straight to DVD.
If there are any movies you suggest I watch, please feel free to send me your suggestions. I will try to watch as many as possible. Stay tuned: I have several movies I need to write about that I have already watched with my buddies that I need to share.

Cheers.