Invisibility in the eyes of society is reworked into a superpower in Zero, the new Italian Netflix original series created by Menotti, based upon an idea by Antonio Dikele Distefano, a writer of Angolan origin. This eight-episode production sees an Italian series placing a young, Italian man of color at the heart of its story, for the first time, supported by an entirely multicultural cast of young, second-generation immigrants, to tackle themes like diversity, inclusion, restoration, and also the sense of happiness among an outer suburb of Milan that has never been shown before.
“Being invisible is that the real power” is one amongst the quotes that stand enter the trailer of the new Italian original series “Zero.” A punchy quote intrinsically, it's a fair stronger impact once the viewer realizes the superhero uttering has no mask nor fancy costumes however could be a Black Italian boy. Not solely is he the protagonist of the show, however, he's conjointly joined by a cast almost entirely created of Black Italian youths.
So “Zero” could be a superhero fiction series — a rare film genre in Italy’s TV and film offers — however, most significantly, it marks the first time that the country has made a show focused around the lives of Black youths, making a long-overdue precedent for wider illustration within the nation’s film scene.
Yet it might be subtractive to frame “Zero” solely around its unprecedented casting choice. Whereas highlighting the challenges and dreams of the second generation of immigrants and life within the suburbs, the series guarantees to voice considerations and treat themes that are current and universal: relationship, love, integration, and a sense of community are all a part of the narrative, thus making “Zero” probably appealing for all younger generations, notwithstanding their origins.
The on-screen friendship between Sharif and Zero reflects the bond that the two actors created in the real world, which was reinforced by having interacted for the longest time on set last year. Overall, the entire cast got on well — with Fall finding conjointly a romantic partner in actress Scattolin — sharing the exceptional expertise of living together in a hotel for three months because of the pandemic. But, except for Omar and Shariff, each alternative character here is poorly written and given little to figure with. Omar’s sister Awa does come into the fold late on however her development is both rushed and forced, resulting in an ungainly twist that simply doesn’t work. That’s to say nothing of Shariff’s gang either, who all have their subplots that are simply abandoned without a transparent resolution.
It’s in all probability a lot of unsatisfaction given the potential this story had. There are echoes of Miles Morales here, with the magnetic Giuseppe Dave Seke doing his best to try and drive this series forward. Sadly, it’s all in vain as this series never quite follows through on its concepts with enough conviction.
While there are gratifying moments here, they’re short at their best. This superhero origin story never quite gets off the bottom, torn between being a family drama, a social statement on the rich/ poor divide, and delivering an outright action flick. The result then could be a disjointed and awkward series that’s not possible to urge a second season it’s therefore urgently banking on.
With episodes at twenty-five minutes apiece, Zero leaves the viewer wanting more with a high-tempo, well-directed story arc that doesn't seem to lose pace. The story does prove the depth and doesn't signal to the viewers that this is often a one-off project. It’s flagrantly clear that the creator (Menotti) has a lot of seasons in mind to flesh out Omar and his inner group.
Let’s hope that Zero gets the eye it deserves; with the Italian atmosphere, the multicultural side, its microscopic look at poverty, and its impact on young people, Zero isn't simply here to flump up the Netflix thumbnails. The series has maintained a decent balance between social problems and a meaningful story that simply resonates with the viewers.
Final Score – [6.2/10]
Reviewed by – Ritika Kispotta
Follow her @KispottaRitika on Twitter (https://twitter.com/KispottaRitika)