Zeros and Ones

A soldier racing through Rome confronts a ticking threat to the Vatican as he hunts for crucial information about his imprisoned brother, a dissident whose knowledge could derail the attack. With time running out, he threads a maze of shadowed streets and shadowy contacts, trading warnings and favors with unlikely allies. The pursuit is personal as much as professional, as loyalties blur and every corner promises danger. The city becomes a claustrophobic map of risk, where the line between foe and ally shifts with each breath. In a tense, nocturnal chase, he confronts cramped corridors, hidden agendas, and the weight of a mission that could change everything in a single moment. The tension never eases, keeping attention fixed throughout, still.

Directed by Abel Ferrara, Zeros and Ones arrived in 2021 as a lean war thriller set against Rome's nocturnal streets. Ethan Hawke leads as the lead operative, supported by Cristina Chiriac and a compact cast.

Box office data for Zeros and Ones is not widely reported, reflecting a limited release and a niche audience. The film rests mainly in Ferrara's devoted circle and Hawke fans rather than blockbuster charts, lingering in niche circles at all.

So far Zeros and Ones has not left a broad cultural footprint. It's mostly of interest to fans of Ferrara and Hawke, with no widely cited quotes or scenes that entered general pop culture. Its mood and setting are noted by critics rather than iconic moments. Mood over quotes, always.

Critics describe the film as a brisk austere thriller that leans into moral ambiguity amid conflict. It wrestles with loyalty, the costs of violence, and the tension between faith and fear, all filtered through Ferrara's economical, city driven style. The film also questions whether personal loyalty can survive in war.