Zero Day review: Robert De Niro and Lizzy Caplan stand out in hectic thriller

James Cox

Robert De Niro was vocal in his criticism of Donald Trump during the US president's first term and he plays a far more dignified former president in Zero Day.

The Netflix series brings a modern twist to the political thriller, as a cyberattack shuts down all power and leads to the death of thousands of people.

De Niro plays George Mullen, a one-term president who has a high popularity rating but also has a closet full of skeletons, both personal and political.

Creators Eric Newman (executive producer on American Primeval, Griselda and Painkiller), Noah Oppenheim and the Pulitzer-winning journalist and author Michael Schmidt have produced a story full of twists and turns.

President Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett) enlists Mullen to head a 'Zero Day' commission with unprecedented investigation powers, even after the 9/11 attacks as Mullen notes. 

Lizzy Caplan plays Alexandra Mullen, a congresswoman who is the former president's daughter. She puts in a powerhouse performance along with De Niro, with their characters often at odds with each other.

Jesse Plemons plays Roger Carlson, another intirguing character who is a troubled political operative who has history with both of the Mullens.

Other characters who add to the breakneck pace of Zero Day include Valerie Whitesell (Connie Britton), Mullen's former chief of staff, Richard Dreyer (Matthew Modine), the US House speaker, and Evan Green (Dan Stevens), an alternative political commentator (think Joe Rogan on steroids).

The six episodes of Zero Day are available on Netflix, and very bingeworthy. It gets five stars from us.