"...an insight into the darkest parts of humanity, and message to the perilous position in which the world finds itself right now."
More than just a film, The Zone of Interest is an artistic achievement, an insight into the darkest parts of humanity, and message to the perilous position in which the world finds itself right now.
The newest film from esteemed director and screenwriter Johnathan Glazer shows him take an approach towards a historical film, something we have not seen him endeavour in before. His approach towards this genre and style of film is executed in such an original manner, and is certainly a one-of-a-kind film, the kind you wouldn’t want to miss out seeing in a cinema.
We are shown the life SS commander, Rudolf Hoss and his family. The film mostly takes place at their house, separated by just a wall to Auschwitz. The remarkably intricate and eerie sound design of this movie is exceptional; we can hear everything from behind this wall. There are a lot of painful silences in the movie—so quiet that you could hear a pin—which are frequently interrupted by the disturbing screams of officers and prisoners next door. The sound of gunshots become common ambience, as common as we hear birds chirping outside. These silences prove extremely effective in making the audience uneasy, and in my case, unable to move. As a viewer I felt absolutely immersed in the setting, which was anything but pleasant. The Zone of Interest is strikingly original, will fill you with dread and disgust and will cause deep reflection- which only incredible cinema can do.
This movie's colour scheme deviates from the typical worn out brown and grey tones of war films, giving it a more vibrant, modern vibe, with brighter tones, and a wider use of primary colours. I feel like this choice from Glazer was to play a trick on our minds – this modern look and feel only pulls us into the film more, to give the feeling that we are watching this family in real time right in front of us.
The Zone of Interest’s camera work and cinematography were even more noteworthy. Every shot felt solid and purposeful, particularly the wide-angle shots, helping to reinforce the awkward and unsettling mood the film lays upon us. The images that highlighted the Hoss family's contrast with the horror of the prisoners were incredibly potent. Notedly, the home of the Hoss Family was presented as something so out of place, stylish and almost contemporary, placed right next to the bleak and ghastly walls of the camp. The placement of interior cameras gave the impression that we were spying, having direct access to these characters' lives. Glazer himself, and cinematographer Lukasz Zal placed 10 hidden cameras around the house, and kept them all running simultaneously, with no crew members on set. This proved very effective in helping the actors to improvise which allowed for a scarily realistic depiction. The wide-angle shots, positioned in room corners, contributed to the unsettling atmosphere and terrifying quiet inside the home.
Finally, I want to comment on Glazer’s writing and how he portrays this family. There are many larger-than-life depictions of Nazi characters in films, The Zone of Interest however presents these historical figures as ordinary people, like us.
They spent time with their children, rested, and were far more concerned of their own lives and domestic affairs compared to the genocide on their doorstep. By demonstrating these figures as human, it helped not to empathise with them of course, but to understand that such horrific events like this are very much possible and are happening right now as I write this review and will continue to happen into the future. The portrayal of such horrible and despicable people in history as colossal figures only distances them from us, as if these types of people will never appear again. Part of the reason this film is so spine-chilling, is the way Glazer demonstrated these people as so intrinsically human, so much so that we see parts of ourselves within them.
About the reviewer
Joseph Mcilroy
Joseph McIlroy is student based in Herefordshire currently studying at Hereford College on Arts on a foundation diploma and is progressing onto studying and creating films at university. When he is not working, he is most likely at the cinema or watching a film at home. A few of his favourite films include Moonstruck (1987), Raising Arizona (1987) and The Life Aquatic (2004).
