Movie Review - Zerophilia (2005)

Language: English

Type of story: Sci-Fi gender transformation

Does it show the transformation? Yes

Sexuality: Sexuality changes with Gender

Nudity: Definitely

How I watched it: I rented it off Amazon Prime for $2.99 (Watch Here)

When I last watched it: December 10, 2022

My synopsis (spoiler-free):

Luke (Taylor Handley) is a virgin.  Well… he was during the first scene of the movie.  But after his first sexual encounter he starts to notice some changes in his body.  First he loses all of his chest hair, then he notices his member shrinking. Then he starts to grow female body parts when he gets turned on. This is a problem because he just met this beautiful girl, Michelle (Rebecca Mozo), and really wants to have a normal relationship with her. When his best friend Keenan (Dustin Seavey), contacts a Dr. Sydney Catchadourian (Gina Bellman) describing Luke’s symptoms, we learn that Luke’s a zerophiliac, or “Z” for short, and can change gender.  When Luke finally learns to transform all of the way he becomes Luca (Marieh Delfino).  But all Luke really wants is to stay male and date Michelle… or does he?

What is a zerophiliac? Dr. Catchadourian explains a zerophiliac has an extra chromosome called a Z chromosome. In real life an extra chromosome doesn’t cause spontaneous gender changes, but since this is sci-fi, we’ll allow it.

* * Spoilers ahead * *

The twist: Dr. Catchadourian has a nefarious plan.  She’s a “Z” too, and when two Z’s have sex, their gender changes, then locks, until the next time they have sex with a Z.  Apparently, Dr. C was a gay man who mistakenly thought he was trans.  He wasn’t, and came to resent being stuck as a woman. So she sees Luke as an opportunity for her to change back to a man - which will gender lock Luke into a woman - but she doesn’t tell him that.  Luke thinks he’s locking in as a man.  Meanwhile, Luke is struggling with the idea that he might subconsciously want to be a woman. At the same time, he’s dealing with trying to date Michelle while not pissing off her brother Max.  You see, Luke has an antagonistic relationship with Max, but when he’s Luca, she’s attracted to him. What Luke/Luca doesn’t realize is that Michelle and Max are the same person - they are a Z too! Too bad Luke doesn’t know that.

I figured out Max/Michelle was the same person midway through the movie. But it does make me wonder if Max/Michelle was able to tell Luke was a Z right off the bat. Max is totally checking out Luke when they first meet. Is there a Z-dar?

The transformation: At first, Luke’s transformation is a single body part every time he gets turned on.  When he falls asleep, his changes seem to revert. Eventually he goes all the way and becomes a woman head to toe. Unfortunately, the only morphing we see from Luke is his face.  We later get treated to the big reveal as Michelle morphs into Max in the shower.

Sexuality: Warning, this section may make your head explode. This movie makes the statement that sexuality is tied to an individual Z’s gender.  But rather it being heterosexual norms like many other mainstream TG movies, one of a Z’s genders can be gay too.  Luke is a straight guy, Luca is a straight girl.  But while female Syndey is a straight woman, Male Syndey is a gay man.  Presumably Max and Michelle are both straight.  (Although I can see a case for Luke and Max being bi.) In order to gender lock, two Zs who are attracted to each other have to have sex.  Which is why Dr. C as a straight woman has sex with Luke to gender lock, but gay male Dr. C cannot do the same with Luca. While I’m glad they made Male Sydney gay, I really wished gender change didn’t affect sexuality.  But the plot demanded that Luke/Luca ended up with Michelle/Max.

They don’t say the T word, but they talk around it.  They actually discuss Luke being trans.  The conversations skirt around using the word “transgender” but go through all of the motions of Luke wanting to be a woman, and this friends showing various degrees of support.

Random Notes:  

• That opening scene… WTF? A car crash in the woods?  SO random.

• Janine is a hottie, the movie teases that she could be bi, that’s all it is, a tease.  Too bad or I’d be shipping Luca and Janine.

• What is Michelle/Max’s gig?  Max swindles the customer, and Michelle comes over to regain their trust?  Not a good business model.

• On Luke’s second date with Michelle, he’s got game.  Not bad for a guy who was a virgin only a few days ago.

• After Luca first appears Janine volunteers to have sex, but Luca turns her down.  Damn, Luca!

• Luca is a guy's name.  It’s Italian for Luke.  I’m glad Max called them out on it.

• Janine’s method to get Luca to transform is to give her visuals by describing a sexy scene and moaning - which turns on Keenan too.

• When Luca transforms back to Luke, Janine goes, “You’re a screamer!” Awesome.  Again… I was shipping Luca and Janine.

• But someone needs to tell Janine the Egg Prime Directive. She’s straight up gifts Luke a dress in broad daylight with his best friend there.  The heart is in the right place, though.

• Luke throws the dress away… and promptly retrieves it.  Good girl.

• Luca actually goes out of her way to see Max - and is wearing the dress Janine got her.  And they kiss.

• During the ending sex montage, there are a few instances where it shows Luke and Max and then Luca and Michelle.  How in the world is that possible given the pre-established rules of gender-locking Dr. C laid down? See my questions for discussion below.

What I disliked about it? 

I really wished they showed Luke’s or Luca’s transformation.  He/She is the main character and thus the one the audience is going to identify with.  Don’t get me wrong - I loved Max/Michelle’s transformation.  

After Luca and Max kissed for the first time, I really wanted the movie to slow down and show them as a couple.  A montage of Luke and Michelle and Luca and Max dating would’ve really shown the differences of how they treated each other when they were a different gender. It would’ve given us more Luca learning who she is as a woman. If not that, then at least a scene before the end, showing Max and Luca hanging out with Keenan and Janine to see how the non-Z friends accept their new reality.

What I liked about it?  

This was very much up my alley.  It’s a bigender movie.  Luke/Luca exists as both genders and I can see myself in this movie.   It was a unique take on a gender transformation movie. I haven’t seen another one like it.  I do wish they spent more time with Luca and her adapting to being a woman.  Maybe Janine taking her under her wing.  It’s totally worth the watch.  It’s funny too! The one-liners are great, and the characters are for the most part likable.

Questions for my readers to ponder:

• What gender do you think Max/Michelle was born as?

• Do you think the ending montage was a subtle hint that the quartet (Max,Michelle,Luke,Luca) are all bi or do you think their love and acceptance transcends sexuality at that point? Presumably if one orgasms without the other, then they’re stuck, right?  Unless they’re bi, right?

• What movie should I do next?

Discuss in the comments or on my Discord.