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400 Days (2016) movie poster

Characters & Themes

400 Days (2016) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 91 min · English
Directed by
Matt Osterman

A team of four astronauts undertakes a rigorous, year-long simulation preparing them for a journey to a distant planet. As the isolation deepens and contact with Earth diminishes, the psychological pressure mounts, threatening their mental stability. When communication abruptly ceases, the crew begins to doubt the mission’s true purpose, suspecting a hidden agenda and questioning the nature of their reality.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (2)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like 400 Days
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch 400 Days (2016)

Where can you watch 400 Days? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Hoopla and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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4 main characters · contains spoilers

400 Days Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of 400 Days (2016), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Captain Theo Cooper

    Theo Cooper is the level-headed leader of the crew, tasked with maintaining order during their psychological trials. His rationality is tested as paranoia consumes the group, and he often finds himself balancing his crew's needs with the relentless pressures of their environment. Cooper's determination to protect his team ultimately leads him to confront the strange risks outside their simulation.

    • 🧑‍🚀 Leader
    • 😟 Paranoia
    • 💪 Resilience
  • Dr. Emily McTier

    Emily McTier is a strong and resourceful astronaut, often stepping up when tensions rise among the crew. Her scientific mindset clashes with the growing hallucinations, forcing her to grapple with reality versus perception. As a central figure in navigating their dire situation, her connection with Cooper highlights themes of partnership and trust in the face of despair.

    • ⚗️ Scientist
    • 🚀 Resourceful
    • 👩‍🤝‍👨 Trust
  • Bug Kieslowski

    Bug is portrayed as the most vulnerable member of the crew, struggling with guilt and hallucinations that blur the lines between reality and the dreamlike state induced by their mission. His emotional journey is encapsulated by the manifestations of his son, showcasing the deep impact of isolation. Bug’s experiences serve to reflect the intense psychological effects of long-term space travel.

    • 👨‍👦 Guilt
    • 😓 Vulnerability
    • 🌌 Hallucination
  • Cole Dvorak

    Cole Dvorak embodies skepticism and rebellion as he grapples with disbelief about their mission's authenticity. His dismissal of the strange occurrences around him underscores the theme of denial, and his actions lead to divergence from the group. Dvorak's character represents the struggles of accepting new realities when faced with overwhelming evidence of change.

    • 🤔 Skepticism
    • 🍻 Rebellion
    • 🚶‍♂️ Divergence

Last updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:46

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Setting

Where and When Does 400 Days Take Place?

The setting of 400 Days (2016): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Future, Post-disaster

The film unfolds in a future world that's drastically changed due to an unspecified disaster involving the moon. This event has led to a permanent dust cloud blocking sunlight, resulting in a desolate Earth. The story is set after the astronauts complete their 400-day simulation, thrusting them into a transformed reality.

Location

Tranquillity

Tranquillity is a town that symbolizes hope amid chaos. Once a thriving community, it is now weathered and dark due to the effects of a cosmic disaster. The environment is marked by dust and a forbidding atmosphere, offering a stark contrast to the underground simulation the astronauts have left behind.

  • 🏙️ Town
  • 🌌 Simulation
  • 🌪️ Desolation

Last updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:46

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2 major themes

400 Days Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is 400 Days (2016) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Psychological Effects

    The film explores the psychological toll of isolation and the human mind's fragility in extreme conditions. As the crew navigates paranoia and hallucinations, it raises questions about reality and perception. Their descent into psychological distress serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of extended confinement.

  • Discovery

    The theme of discovery permeates the astronauts' journey as they transition from the confines of their simulation to the harsh realities of the outside world. Their exploration of Tranquillity presents both the hope of human survival and the fear of the unknown. The realization that they are not alone and the encounters with locals draw attention to adaptability and resilience in unprecedented circumstances.

Last updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:46

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Character & theme questions

400 Days Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about 400 Days (2016): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the story set and what is Tranquillity?

The movie takes place in Tranquillity, a once-thriving town now darkened and weathered by a cosmic disaster. This town represents hope amid chaos and serves as a stark contrast to the underground simulation the astronauts have left behind. The environment is marked by dust and a forbidding atmosphere, showing a world transformed by catastrophe.

  • tranquillity
  • setting
  • town
  • post-disaster
Q2

When is the movie set?

The story is set in a future world drastically changed due to an unspecified disaster involving the moon. This catastrophe created a permanent dust cloud blocking sunlight, resulting in a desolate Earth. The narrative unfolds after the astronauts complete their 400-day simulation, thrusting them into this transformed reality.

  • future
  • time period
  • post-apocalyptic
  • simulation
Q3

What are the main psychological themes in the movie?

The film explores the psychological toll of isolation and the human mind's fragility in extreme conditions. As the crew navigates paranoia and hallucinations, it raises questions about reality and perception. Their descent into psychological distress serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of extended confinement.

  • psychology
  • isolation
  • paranoia
  • hallucination
  • reality
Q4

What role does discovery play in the story?

Discovery permeates the astronauts' journey as they transition from their simulation to the harsh realities of the outside world. Their exploration of Tranquillity presents both hope of human survival and fear of the unknown. The realization that they are not alone and encounters with locals draw attention to adaptability and resilience in unprecedented circumstances.

  • discovery
  • exploration
  • adaptability
  • survival
Q5

Who is Captain Theo Cooper?

Captain Theo Cooper is the level-headed leader of the crew, tasked with maintaining order during their psychological trials. His rationality is tested as paranoia consumes the group, and he balances his crew's needs with relentless environmental pressures. Cooper's determination to protect his team leads him to confront strange risks outside their simulation.

  • theo cooper
  • captain
  • leader
  • astronaut
Q6

Who is Dr. Emily McTier?

Dr. Emily McTier is a strong and resourceful astronaut who often steps up when tensions rise among the crew. Her scientific mindset clashes with growing hallucinations, forcing her to grapple with reality versus perception. As a central figure in navigating their dire situation, her connection with Cooper highlights themes of partnership and trust in despair.

  • emily mctier
  • doctor
  • scientist
  • astronaut
Q7

Who is Bug in the crew?

Bug Kieslowski is portrayed as the most vulnerable member of the crew, struggling with guilt and hallucinations that blur reality and dreamlike states. His emotional journey features manifestations of his son, showcasing the deep impact of isolation. Bug's experiences reflect the intense psychological effects of long-term space travel.

  • bug kieslowski
  • vulnerable
  • guilt
  • hallucination
Q8

Who is Cole Dvorak?

Cole Dvorak embodies skepticism and rebellion as he grapples with disbelief about their mission's authenticity. His dismissal of strange occurrences underscores the theme of denial, and his actions lead to divergence from the group. Dvorak represents the struggles of accepting new realities when faced with overwhelming evidence of change.

  • cole dvorak
  • skeptic
  • rebellion
  • denial
Q9

How does the movie explore reality versus illusion?

The movie centers on ambiguity about whether the crew is in a genuine simulation or a post-apocalyptic world. As psychological pressure mounts and contact with Earth diminishes, the crew begins to doubt their mission's true purpose. This uncertainty about reality versus perception drives the film's tension and leaves the ultimate truth unresolved.

  • reality
  • simulation
  • perception
  • ambiguity
  • truth
Q10

What kind of movie is this?

400 Days is a sci-fi mystery thriller that prioritizes psychological conflict over action. The film features a tense atmosphere of constant suspicion and unease, with steady pacing that builds psychological drama and external threats. While not graphically violent, it carries medium emotional weight stemming from psychological strain and the threat of insanity.

  • sci-fi
  • thriller
  • psychological
  • tense
  • mystery

Movie threads

More Movies Like 400 Days, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes 400 Days tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about isolated crews like 400 Days

Small groups trapped in confined spaces descend into suspicion and madness. If you liked the intense paranoia and psychological strain in 400 Days, explore these other movies about small groups struggling to survive and maintain sanity in extreme isolation. This thread features similar stories of confinement and deteriorating mental states.

  • claustrophobic
  • paranoid
  • suspenseful
  • anxious
  • isolated
  • psychological
  • Tone: tense, paranoid, claustrophobic
  • Pacing: steady, building dread
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often begin with a team in a controlled environment—a spaceship, an arctic base, a bunker. As isolation deepens and communication with the outside world fails, small incidents escalate, trust evaporates, and characters begin to question each other's motives and their own perception of reality.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their focus on internal psychological conflict over external action. They share a tense, claustrophobic mood, a steady pacing that builds dread, and a central theme of reality versus illusion within a confined group dynamic.

Movies with ambiguous reality like 400 Days

Stories where characters can't trust if their world is real or an elaborate construct. Fans of the uncertain reality and mind-bending premise in 400 Days will enjoy these other films exploring simulation theory and ambiguous truths. Find more movies like 400 Days where nothing is quite as it seems.

  • mind-bending
  • uncertain
  • suspenseful
  • mysterious
  • thought-provoking
  • anxious
  • Tone: mind-bending, suspenseful, uncertain
  • Pacing: steady, mysterious
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The core journey in these movies is the protagonist's struggle to discern truth from deception. Clues are ambiguous, authority figures are untrustworthy, and the environment itself might be a fabrication. The plot often builds towards a revelation—or further ambiguity—about the true state of the world.

Why they belong together: They are connected by a shared narrative device: the central ambiguity of the setting. This creates a specific kind of intellectual tension and suspense, focusing on mystery and existential doubt rather than straightforward conflict. The endings are often intentionally ambiguous.

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Movies Like 400 Days

Similar movies to 400 Days: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

400 Days (2016) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about 400 Days in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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