Z For Zachariah is an understated three character drama, exploring sexual and emotional politics in a post-apocalyptic world. Acting, directing, cinematography and colour grading take the stage - in that order.

Firstly, I would like to address the complaints that the film is incorrectly labelled as science-fiction. This could not be further from the truth. Science fiction is a genre used to extrapolate (or estrange) the contemporary world to focus on human issues and ideas in a new light, with new variables to explore them. This is what the film does.

The film opens with Ann (Margot Robbie) going about her post-apocalyptic business, wearing protective gear and sifting through abandoned houses and stores. She goes back home to her dog and lovely house in an edenic valley in the countryside.

The man with that awesome but unpronounceable name to most people above the equator, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Loomis, enters the film with a bang. He tears off his "safe suit" on a road with tears in his eyes, presumably after having discovered that he found an area with little to no radiation (using a handheld Geiger counter). Loomis and Ann discover each other, and Ann takes him in to take care of after he bathes in infected water.

Their scenes together delicately explore the awkward social interactions of two people of different sexes communicating with each other after virtually no contact. Eventually Caleb (Chris Pine) finds them, and adds a difficult spin to the social drama.

The script is clever in it's ambiguity about the events that led to this post-apocalyptic scenario. Since the three characters are fairly normal and healthy people, the only stories about the outside world are heard through them, adding a layer of tension and questions of truth to their words.

Firstly, Margot Robbie. I had only seen Margot Robbie in the horribly overrated Wolf Of Wall Street and forgettable Focus - in both these films she was a serviceable supporting character, beautiful with little range. Clearly, the fault was not with her abilities but with her character, as she gives a fantastic performance in this film. Secondly, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Already established as a great actor, and a phenomenal leading man, he gives both an emotional and passionate performance as a non-religious engineer. Thirdly, Chris Pine. The smooth and polished Pine is perhaps the grubbiest in the film, lending it a decidedly American element, as the confident and religious survivor.

The sole three actors give fantastic performances, no doubt with much credit due to the direction by Craig Zobel. The only crack in these performances is the fact that they are so good, they almost, just almost overwhelm the story and crash the suspension of disbelief.

The cinematography is a character in it's self - it gives a sense of place and environment, emphasising the mock Eden that these characters inhabit. On top of that, the colour grading is absolutely phenomenal. The first shots of the film make that very obvious, as certain colours pop out to set the colour tone for the rest of the film. Whatever LUT was used in this film, I want it.

Rotten Tomatoes says that the film has "a pace that may test the patience of less contemplative viewers." I disagree - at a runtime of 98 minutes, the film feels like it ends too son, although it doesn't. It is not wall-to-wall science-fiction mayhem, but the drama and acting is compelling enough to keep one's attention.

A Final Comment: I believe there was a shot towards the end of the film that was an homage to the ending of Tarkovsky's Stalker... adding an interesting spin to the story.