The Zone of Interest

Overview

The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.

Rating

11 Reviews

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  BornKnight

  9 Feb 21, 2024

  The Zone of Interest is a 2023 historical drama film written and directed by Jonathan Glazer, loosely based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis, that based herself on the life that Rudolf Höss, Nazi commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp from 1940-43 must had in that time in his residence, just at the side of the camp. It premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, winning both the Grand Prix and FIPRESCI Prize. For the 96th Academy Awards, it received 5 nominations (including Best Motion Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound) - for me best sound is almost a win, and have great chances for best international movie and adapted screenplay. Both Christian Friedel as Rudolf Höss and Sandra Hüller (from Anatomy of a Fall) as Hedwig Höss are exceptional in their roles. It focus on the idyllic live of the Nazi commander, in his house on the most normal life conditions, while the Holocaust and the killing machine he created works at just some meters of distance. The camera focus on medium and large plans, often showing the life of the dreams, but on the horizon we often see signs of the terror like smoke from the locomotives and from the enormous chimneys at the distance. We also have other signs, extremely subtle, like the sound of shouts and shots at the background, that only shows as more close in rare sequences. Other sequences like the girl, shoot in Infrared that left at night apples and fruits for the camp workers are just haunting (and the cause of one of the more aggressive shout sequence I mention above). Interesting enough is the view as close the view of the concentration camp is on the movie in the past, and in the present as a memorial. Both are unmistakable, but in either vision a far cry from what the reality must have been inside them. For the movie is a 8.6 from 10.0 / A- and a must see for 2024.

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  MovieGuys

  8 Feb 21, 2024

  The Zone of Interest takes the notion of the "banality of evil", back to its true origin, the family home. All human evil starts with a home. In this instance, the home of a concentration camp commander, Rudolf Höss, of Auschwitz and his family. The laid back ease of middle class family life, of an upper management level Nazi, is juxtaposed with suffering of people (Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, political dissidents, religious minorities and yes even some allied soldiers, who were prisoners of war), who quite literally reside, over the fence, in the concentration camp, Hoss oversees. This is a quietly horrifying film where the an idyllic and wholly familiar family setting is punctured, by the occasional sounds of misery and death, emanating from neighbouring death camp. Smoke stacks, burn human remains, that rise beyond the family fence line. In another compelling scene, a Hoss family riverside outing is disrupted by human ash, floating with the waters current. The Zone of Interest is not a demonstrably violent film. Violence is hinted at and as we can see, is psychologically and physically partitioned off, from the peaceful home life, of Hoss and his family. This is a compelling film but I did feel it overplayed its hand somewhat with discordant music and oddly dissonant night vision scenes, with a girl apparently trying to help the victims of the camps, by leaving food for them, at work sites, concealed next to their tools. In summary, a disturbingly influential film, that looks openly and honestly, at where evil resides.

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  FilmRaj

  Mar 14, 2024

  A subtle horrific historic narrative of the Holocaust.

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  rsanek

  3 Mar 28, 2024

  So much potential but very disappointing.

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  r96sk

  7 Sep 11, 2024

  Not particularly my type of movie, with it being more 'artsy' than anything else, but I can still acknowledge it as being good. It's miles better, even for someone like me with the aforementioned, than it probably has any right to be. It does, in my eyes, start off too slowly, though the longer it went on the more I could appreciate it - particularly from a filmmaking perspective. As you would expect with the subject matter, 'The Zone of Interest' makes for uncomfortable but important viewing. Sandra Hüller has relatively little to work with, though still manages to put in a standout showing. I remember seeing her about during the award season when this movie was released, based on this I am expecting an even better performance in 'Anatomy of a Fall' - gotta get that watched soon!

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  JustCare

  Oct 2, 2024

  Exceptionally disturbing, with an undertone of horror and dread that you cannot quite pinpoint. At every moment, this film indeed does draw your Zone of Interest away from who would typically be considered the main characters, to the background. Sometimes it is a background visual of the fence of Auschwitz, or a sound eminating from over that fence. But often it is so much more miniscule, items and actions that would usually be ignored - lipstick, for instance. The creators have done a truly moving job explaining the gut-punch feeling and disgust of the time period without being actually visually violent. Instead, they let your mind wander, which I find to be potentially more emotionally challenging.