The Zero Theorem - Clip: The Kid Explains - At Cinemas March 14

Terry Gilliam's latest creation focuses on Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz) a reclusive computer genius living in a n undetermined future, who works as a programmer for the Orwellian organisation Corporation Mancom. He resides in an ancient derelict church, awaiting a phone call that will give meaning to his life. When the mysterious 'Management' summons him to crack the Zero Theorem, a forumla that could answer everything, and the seductive Bainsley (Melanie Thierry) and the turbulent Bob (Lucas Hedges) barges into his controlled universe, Leth's existence is set to irrevocably change.

[@HyperNova137]

In this scene, Bob is attempting to explain Crowley's 0=2 theory on a depiction of the LUST tarot card (Crowley's version of the Strength card), which normally shows a woman delicately overcoming a lion and opening its mouth (in Crowley's case, it's Babalon riding the Beast). The traditional depiction is specifically played out in the next scene, in which Bainsley helps dislodge an olive from Qohen's throat. The throat chakra corresponds to the sphere of Daath and the Abyss in Qabalistic and Thelemic views, which is a false sephirah because human knowledge is transitory and does not apply "above" the Abyss; It all adds up to nothing, or no-thing. It's also represented as a wasteland (the poop) that is inhabited by the demon Choronzon - symbolized by the "Management" in his black-n-white striped zebra clothing…He is the demon of dispersion, illusion, dualistic thinking - the opposite of unity. He keeps Qohen distracted from his "call" or WILL (also associated with the throat chakra) by having him "crunch entities" in an attempt to make sense of esoteric knowledge, which we've already said is illusory. In the final scene, Qohen finally says FUCK IT ALL and surrenders to the Abyss, and gives up the plastic volleyball (false sephirah of Daath) for the sun (normally Tiphareth, but in this case Kether, the crown, unity with God / Infinity) and let's it descend into the waters of manifestation - symbolically bringing heaven to earth. There's a theory that when we're born, we are taught that God is outside of us, and thus most of our own creative energy is separated from us, suspended above our heads, until we're able to remember who we are (the Lion King gives another powerful example of this same theme). But there are perhaps two ways of interpreting that concept: It may be either a solipsistic delusion, in which you think you're the only real creator and everyone else has been dreamed up by you (perhaps Bainsley is a thoughtform he creates for his own pleasure). Or, you might perceive it as sharing your consciousness with all other creators, thus no longer doing the same work in separate cubicles (symbolically speaking), as Qohen complains of earlier in the film. You might use the analogy of the wave/particle theory of quantum physics, and apply that to your identity; When the ego is allowed to recede into the background, you're no longer separate from the rest of creation. That's a rather over-simplified explanation, but I think that's what the movie is basically leaving you to wonder about...

[@luckyluciano6939]

+MaynardMouse Great read thank you

[@joshuamitchell9345]

I know this is an old post I just wanted to say the way you broke that down was phenomenal what about the Matt Damon scene towards the end when he talks about the neural network and chaos as they look at the black hole on the screen would you say black holes are hologram generators and that we are in one right now thinking this is all real when it only a figment of our imagination or its just neuron synapses going off in the brain being projected out to look as if it is a external reality

[@JasonBunting]

Cool ideas, thanks for the read.

[@Alex_441]

It's fractal truth. No Crowley required. This film is so great when you can "see it"

[@Guppyta16]

Lucas Hedges

[@markcantrell985]

FUCKING FACTS!!!!❤️‍🔥

[@ChrisDMReloaded]

where does this take place?

[@LazyWorks]

Was this kid told to do a Brad Pitt impression by Terry? And is Cristoph Waltz supposed to be his bald Bruce Willis counter part. That's kinda cheap :) but it seems to do the trick. For a moment there i thought I'm watching twelve monkeys. Wonder if that was on purpose:) Love the camera work!

[@user-fj8xc4vc6g]

I love both of those movies.
The Zero Theorem adds real warmth and the luxuriant, ethereal feel of a pre-extinction-level-event Devil May Care society's decadence to 12 Monkeys' just, like, WHOLE DOWNER VIBE.
Srsly 12M is sad-sad.
At least Quohen got to experience that delish cyber-booty and the reality, if not the realization (which is the biggest GULF tbh)...of his own desire for uniqueness of purpose and vision.
He seems like a tame vampire.
Anyways, I think you're right to draw that connection.
That would mean the kid eventually grew up and went into the past to escape the future holocaust where humanity is wiped out by a super bug.
That would get most people locked up in a mental hospital lol
Cool catch on the detail! The kid does pantomime Pitt's manic hand popping punctuating rapid declarative statements THANG.
That means that ZIPPTY could be the Singularity and with AI awareness comes technologies beyond human abilities (time travel, super bugs/serums, mind uploading into the omnipresent non-local software updates which are the actual concurrence of all reality sets expressed as pure nothingness, etc)
Which, when Q swan dives into the void funnel, implies the surrendering of the individual forced perspective to the ground of being.
Mind!!!