
Zardoz
1974, Sci fi, 1h 44m
34 Reviews 5,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Zardoz is ambitious and epic in scope, but its philosophical musings are rendered ineffective by its supreme weirdness and rickety execution. Read critic reviews
You might also like
Where to watch
Show all servicesZardoz Photos
Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Zed
Consuella
May
Avalow
Friend
Arthur Frayn, Zardoz
News & Interviews for Zardoz
Critic Reviews for Zardoz
All Critics (34) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (16) | Rotten (18)
-
[Zardoz] demonstrates how one can make a cheap sci-fi flick look like a cheap sci-fi flick by using mirrors and prisms as substitutes for imagination.
October 2, 2019 | Full Review… -
You have to hand it to John Boorman. When he's brilliant, he's brilliant (Point Blank, Deliverance) but when he's terrible, he's really terrible.
March 27, 2019 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review… -
Probably John Boorman's most underrated film-an impossibly ambitious and pretentious but also highly inventive, provocative, and visually striking SF adventure.
March 27, 2019 | Full Review… -
Such a wildly ambitious misfire that you can't help but root for it, or at least feel some twisted sense of affection for it.
April 2, 2018 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review… -
Zardoz is a futuristic, metaphysical and anthropological drama testing John Boorman in three creative areas. The results: direction, good; script, a brilliant premise which unfortunately washes out in climactic sound and fury; and production, outstanding.
February 20, 2009 | Full Review… -
The script gradually falls apart into a mess of philosophical pottage under the whimsically pretentious Tolkien influence. But visually the film remains a sparkling display of fireworks, brilliantly shot and directed.
February 9, 2006 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Zardoz
-
Jun 22, 2018All sci-fi have the imprint of the times that made them and few as much as this one, a gloriously wild and futuristic party that ultimately goes nowhere. Society has found a way to cheat death, it appears, but that's about all. Nothing else seems worthwhile afterwards and so life becomes a bore, a party wherein everyone's heard all the jokes that there are. Connery's character, named Zed (get it?) is created then to kill the endless monotony, and everyone else. It's an ambitious work with a unique take on the future and interesting, particularly with it's partier's eye for entertainment (which matches succinctly with the view of most sci-fi devotees). Most worthy.Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
-
Oct 08, 2015Rented Zardoz for some 70s campiness and trippiness. I was hoping it would be awful and fun. I found it to be surprisingly serious and curious. It is difficult to tell everything the filmmaker was trying to convey with all the mysticism but there certainly was a lot of effort put into this film. I can't exactly say it was a good film but it was interesting, memorable, and worth the view.Robert B Super Reviewer
-
Jul 14, 2012This is by far one the most bizarre film I have ever witness. I'm just completely baffled that such a movie was made. Zardoz does have a plot, but it's told in a such a bizarre manner you'll still be confuse even when it's explained to you. It started with Zardoz floating head who for some reason has a mustache and beard drawn on with markers talking to you. Somehow the movie gets even weirder, literally in the first ten minutes you'll see a giant stone head say "The Gun is good! The penis, is, EVIL!" and then vomits out guns. Then you'll be asking how did Sean Connery get inside the giant stone head? Why are there nude women in plastic bags? Why did Sean Connery shoot Zardoz? All in the span of ten minutes you'll be confuse and have no idea what's going on. Zardoz is chuck full of moments that'll leave you baffle. There literally a scene where a scientist shows Sean Connery porn so they can study him getting an erection. There's also another scene that has Connery in a bridesmaid outfit and throwing woman in a pile of hay in another scene. Confused? You should be, yet somehow the plot makes sense and is interesting an a weird way. The longer you watch Zardoz the less sense it makes, unless of course you're drunk than it'll make complete and utter sense. The plot of Zardoz is simply something that has to be seen to believe. It's truly hilarious writing, like how Connery character could read books even though he told us he never seen a book in his life. Or the hilarious moment where Connery is momentarily blind and gets tangled in yarn, in which a character panic and says "He's out of control". Though my favorite bizarre moment is when Connery is running away from the immortals from I can comprehend, and hides behind some rock shape house or something. When out of no where he's surrounded by people who all want to taste Connery, clearly the writers had to be smoking something in order to come up with Zardoz. Putting plot aside, the imagery is absolute the strangest thing I've seen. It's like director John Boorman is intentionally trying to mess with your head. The acting is laughably bad, it's a miracle Sean Connery had a career after this movie. Finally, who can forget about the ending. I honestly have no idea what make of it, it's simply Sean and some women sitting in the same place until they become nothing but dust. What does the ending symbolizes, I got no idea and I've watched the damn thing. Zardoz is a bizarre filmed that doesn't make much sense, yet satisfies at some level. If you want something strange, hilarious, and original, go into Zardoz.Caesar M Super Reviewer
-
Nov 06, 2011An underrated futuristic social satire that is definitely self-indulgent but also more thought-provoking and smart than it appears to be, while its mind-blowing visuals and bizarre dialogue contribute to give shape to a surrealistic allegory that is both fascinating and original.Carlos M Super Reviewer
Zardoz Quotes
Zed: | Zardoz speaks to you. |
Arthur Frayn: | I am Arthur Frayn, and I am Zardoz. |
Avalow: | Death approaches! We are all mortal again! Now we can say 'yes' to death, but never again 'no'. Now, we must make our farewells: to each other, to the sun and moon, trees and sky, earth and rock; the landscape of our long waking-dream. |
Zed: | What is it you want? |
Friend: | Sweet death. Oblivion. |
Zed: | For yourself, or for the whole Vortex? |
Friend: | For everybody. An end to the human race. It has plagued this pretty planet for far too long. |
Movie & TV guides
About Tomatometer
The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review
About Audience Score
The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher.
Verified