Bonkers ‘Rumours’ is entertaining political satire/soap opera/thriller [Video]

A giant brain, prime ministers wandering through a German forest, a president in a wheelbarrow, Iron Age zombies and, of course, artificial intelligence all figure into the bonkers “Rumours,” an over-the-top geopolitical satire/soap opera/post-apocalyptic thriller from Canadian cult director Guy Maddin.

Co-directed with his collaborators Galen and Evan Johnson, the latter who wrote the script, “Rumours” is set at a meeting of the G7, where the leaders of the world’s leading democracies have gathered to address some sort of crisis. It’s never spelled out. But it’s not important — just a reason to add tension to the meeting.

The gathering is hosted by Germany’s Hilda Orlmann (Cate Blanchett), clearly modeled on German Prime Minister Angela Merkel. The U.S. is represented by the doddering, elderly President Edison Wolcott (Charles Dance), whose inspiration is, shall we say, obvious.

But those are the only two direct shots at specific leaders among the film’s …