Z for Zachariah

“Z for Zachariah” takes place in a post-apocalyptic world with only a few survivors. The character Ann (Margot Robbie) is a young adult woman who has been living alone for about a year. One day, she encounters a man named John (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who has become very ill from exposure to radiation. Ann takes care of him, and he recovers. Just as a romance begins between the two of them, another man, Caleb (Chris Pine), emerges, and it becomes evident that a love triangle is forming.

The movie does a good job giving a sense of what it would feel like to be among the only survivors in the world. The music and acting give a strong sense of atmosphere. One noteworthy aspect of the movie is how, despite being a secular production, there is frequent discussion of faith in the dialog. Ann is a Christian, and she believes that God protected her through the apocalypse and has a plan for her life.

However, this is not a movie where all of the virtues and vices are apparent and deterministically lead to certain outcomes. There is ambiguity surrounding the motives behind some actions, and a variety of moral conclusions could be drawn from plot events. For instance, some audiences may view the story as showing the consequences of sexual immorality or making compromises with one’s faith-based conscience. However, other audiences may disagree with those assessments.

As for my overall thoughts about this movie, I think that viewers who are intrigued by post-apocalyptic scenarios or serious romantic dramas may appreciate this movie and find it thought-provoking. However, I am not sure that this movie’s appeal extends far beyond its genre, and I recommend viewer discretion due to the content issues described below.

Objectionable Content

Sexuality: One scene of physical intimacy that presumably involves sexual intercourse given that the man and woman are undressing. There is another scene of a man and woman in a bedroom with the woman scantily clothed, but it appears that sexual intercourse did not happen.

Language: f-word (1), d-word (3), s-word (2), h-word (1)

Alcohol Use: Three instances where characters drink alcohol excessively, leading to behavior such as silliness or aggression.

Violence: An implied murder. Characters discuss a deadly fight in the aftermath of the global catastrophe. ***SPOILER*** A character also confesses to having killed a man who was gravely ill and wanted to die.

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Moderate

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.