RETRO MOVIE REVIEW: Zardoz

In terms of reputation, Zardoz is a movie that occupies a strange place between cult classic and “So Bad It“s Good”“. I mostly was aware of it by reputation, mainly because of Sean Connery“s admittedly silly costume and its classic tagline. However, it seemed a movie that is worth revisiting after a very long time, mainly to see how well it has aged and whether it holds up as a science fiction film in any meaningful way. Zardoz is a noticeably flawed film, but it also has enough charm and cleverness to be worth a look.

The core concept behind Zardoz is not an inherently bad one. In this future, civilization has completely collapsed, descending into complete savagery. However, there is still the Vortex, a small oasis of civilization that is ruled by a group of immortals, but they have grown stagnant with immortality and cultural stasis. The conflict between the two is instigated when Zed (played by Sean Connery) hides aboard a flying god“s head and infiltrates the Vortex, leading to a cultural clash that tears apart everything that the immortals have tried to preserve. There are also some interesting story twists, as we learn more about Zed and the broken, stagnant society within the Vortex. On a conceptual level, this could have been a great film, and there is a strong vision behind John Boorman“s work here. I came away from the film wanting to learn more about this world and what happens next, because there is some compelling worldbuilding to the Zardoz future.

Nor does the acting present any real problems for this movie. Sean Connery was an excellent choice as Zed, even if the costuming admittedly looks ridiculous. Zed is an enlightened barbarian, representing the idea of the noble savage, and Connery brings that across with his presence and charisma. Charlotte Rampling plays a different kind of love interest, one that largely acts as an antagonist until she realizes her own failings and embraces love. The remaining cast are largely unknown to me, but there are some standouts, especially Niall Buggy as the immortal trickster Arthur Frayn. Buggy plays Frayn as a bit of a silly character, but there“s a method behind the madness, and the contrast between false god and silly immortal makes him an intriguing character. John Alderton likewise gives an interesting performance as Friend, an immortal who has grown tired of eternal life and acts as a subversive figure. Alderton comes across as an Adonis-like figure, but his motives are deep and complex, and the story gives him much character room to work with. The overall cast is quite solid, and unlike many movies with Zardoz“s reputation, they do the best they can with the material they“re given.

That having been said, there are definite flaws to this film that hold it back from being a true classic. Some of it is in the narrative, which could have stood to be more polished. For instance, the film establishes Zardoz as taking place three hundred years into Earth“s future, but that simply is not enough time to make this story credible. While it is possible for Earth to descend into savagery in that time, it isn“t enough time for the Vortex to be such a completely stagnant culture. A thousand years might make somewhat more sense, as that allows more time for the immortals to become completely bored of life, and for the Brutals to have lost all memory of what they were. The pacing is also quite slow at times, with some dramatic scenes completely drawn out in a way that weakens the tension. The weirdness of this film is not inherently a bad thing, but there are scenes that are dragged out for the sake of being weird or artistic, and not all of them work as they should. The costuming is sometimes quite laughable, especially Sean Connery“s unfortunate getup. In addition, there are scenes that are unintentionally funny when they“re clearly intended to have weight””the scene where Friend is accused of being a Renegade is funny when it should be tense, mainly due to the ridiculous-looking handwaving of the immortal accusers. However, most of these are execution problems, and likely more due to Boorman“s directorial decisions than the acting. Still, I can“t fault Boorman completely, as he presents a powerful vision of the future, and when the movie works, it“s quite captivatingly shot.

In the end, Zardoz is a film that I recommend watching for yourself if you have an interest in it. The core story idea behind this film is quite brilliant, and when the artistry works, it“s fascinating to watch. Sean Connery is generally good in anything he“s in, and Zardoz is no exception to that””Connery fans should find much to enjoy here, even if it“s very different from anything else he“s appeared in. Zardoz is a film that makes its share of missteps, but they“re mostly entertaining mistakes, and there“s enough good behind that to be worth a viewing. Zardoz is a bizarre film, but if you“re looking for something different, this movie will certainly give that to you.

Score: 3.5/5

Director: John Boorman

Starring: Sean Connery, Charlotte Rampling, Nials Buggy, Sara Kestelman, John Alderton, Sally Anne Newton

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).