NOTHING

2003. Director. Vincenzo Natali.
Review by Glenn Cochrane

NOTHING was the film that confirmed Vinenzo Natali as a contender for my top 10 list of directors. His debut film CUBE did a number on my brain and his follow up, CYPHER, pummelled it some more... and then came NOTHING. It's an apt title because after his first two films this one left the contents of my head exactly that. This is the second instalment in Natali's proposed "Minimalist Trilogy" with the first being CUBE and the second yet to be made. 90% of this movie takes place in a cast expanse of nothingness. A never ending atmosphere of white. Everything but two best friends and their house has vanished.  Where? How? Why? DUNNO! It just has and our two quirky friends are faced with being the only humans in existence. Much like CUBE, the film relies on the viewer's acceptance of the situation and provides no answers. Answers are irrelevant and the character interaction and circumstance it what matters. So what exactly does one do with nothing? And how the fuck do you make a feature length film out of it? Natali and his two stars, David Hewitt & Andrew Miller (who also co-wrote), have delivered low budget experimental movie that plays for laughs and explores the absurd. The performances are fantastic as these two mates spiral into insanity amongst a sea of white. The gags keep on rolling and the nonsense escalates to an inevitable, yet highly amusing climax. NOTHING has a very limited appeal and as the owner of a video store I can confirm that it pisses more people off than it pleases. "Suspension of disbelief" seems to be an unreasonable demand on most folk.... but not me. Weird is good. Strange is wonderful. And a surreal mind-fuck is good for the sanity every now and then.... one must stay on their toes.  

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