Sean Connery and Charlotte Rampling star in this cold, meandering, often howlingly silly science-fiction melodrama which has futuristic savage Sean led into a world of decadent youths who mean to exploit and kill him. Convoluted premise is cluttered up with pseudo-intellectual dialogue, uninteresting characters and set-pieces, and one embarrassed-looking male lead. John Boorman, who wrote and directed (perhaps on acid), doesn't look as though he gained the trust or confidence of his cast; they stumble about with question marks on their faces. Pretentious in all respects, the film looks bad and has no soul, and the secret behind the title astounds one with its obviousness. The worst funny line (among many) occurs when a male voice, transmitting from a crystal, says to Connery, "You have penetrated me!" An ordeal which completely alienates the audience. *1/2 from ****
Review of Zardoz
