Determinism made me do it...

Theo pretty much pushes the agenda this entire film once the science fair scene takes place. He tells his teacher that free will is illusionary and everything is already determined. As such, he then exploits those around him to gain more knowledge and power over them.

I believe Theo's appeal to determinism hinges on the fact that he was raised by his father, Strauss, in a very artful household. As such, he slowly develops a very nihilistic perspective of the world, and very much begins to experiment with those around him. Transitioning from a nihilist to a narcissist, Theo then discovered the concept of determinism and pursued further research that would enable him to exploit that system as well.

Theo's character truly is the epitome of cold and calculating. In the end, I could truly say that I related to most of what he said, however I disagreed with one major turn of events during the film - His disconnect from his father. I am not sure why this happened in the film, but I am certain someone on IMDB will enlighten me.