Review - The Zone of Interest
Directed by: Jonathan Glazer
Written by: Jonathan Glazer
Starring: Sandra Hüller, Christian Friedel
Running Time: 106 minutes
Rating: 4.5/5
Unspeakable. Unknowable. A monstrous evil.
Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest is a vice grip of unfathomable hatred; an encapsulating hurricane of a doomed humanity, void of all empathy and blanketed with the solace of tragedy. A slow-moving nightmare that transcends the nature of horror across the unholy matrimony of evil and hate. The Zone of Interest engulfs all who enter with the ghosts of an unmeasurable evil; a terrifying and visceral dissection of one of humanity’s darkest tragedies as well as the nature of apathy, humanity and the banality of life.
As the title cards of the various production companies fade, Jonathan Glazer’s fourth feature film invites the audience to travel into The Zone of Interest. The opening minutes are bathed in pitch black darkness; a methodical separation of place and time, heart and soul, and body and mind. Mica Levi’s sweeping overture suddenly fills the soundscape, a moving symphony of heightened cresendo, uncomfortable, tense and overbearing; Levi and Glazer set our destination - the depths of hell, the birthplace of evil, a world distant, but familiar to ours.
Smash cut to light.
A countryside paradise, a lakeside retreat nestled deep in a lush, beautiful valley. A family basks in the splendor of nature. Children playing in the knee high grass, adults taking in the beautiful aura of the scenery. It is an idyllic promised land of hope, nirvana and peace.
Moments later; the family begin to make their way back to their home. An expansive mansion in the midst of an isolated community. A three story home perfect to house a growing family with young children and their hired help. Glazer ends this opening sequence with the lights of the home slowly turning off and the last member of the family, the father, retreating to the bedroom. This beautiful family life feels odd, strange and unfortunately, misconstrued.
The parents, Rudolf (Christian Friedel) and Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), begin their morning routine. Getting dressed, tending to their young infant, having breakfast. Rudolf slips on his trousers, a jacket following after - a dark grey uniform, decorated with multiple badges, insignas and pins. He bids farewell to Hedwig as he slips on his long dark black boots. He leaves the home and is greeted on horseback. Beside the home, a giant fortress, massive walls, barbed wire on the top; watch-towers in the distance.
The Höss family lives in Auschwitz. Rudolf Höss is the top commandant of the most notorious concentration camp in history.
The most fascinating aspect of the film is its execution and absolute dedication to only show the banality of family life. Glazer is not inherently focused on the horrors the lurk behind the guarded walls of the camp. There are no scenes of violence or gore in the film. We do not see the tragedies of the Holocaust first hand. Every scene focuses on the Höss family and the mundane nature of their every day life. We rarely follow Rudolf as he works within the camp. Only on horseback as he patrols the outside perimeter with his young son. There is an absolute haunting essence in this film; Glazer masterfully uses the soundscape as a way to frame the horrors of the camp as the only indicator of such devastation. The Höss children play outside in the yard as the frame captures smokestacks in the distance. The family hold garden parties as we watch the trains in the distance transport the unknowing people to their impending doom. The night sky wash alight with a blistering red hue. The smokestacks in full view. The screams. The gunshots. The indifference speaks volumes.
The narrative meanders, almost aimlessly without purpose. It feels monotonous and lifeless. Intentional and powerful. A statement, mirror parallel of the normalcy of hate, evil and apathy. It may alienate viewers in its glacial pace but reward viewers with morbid curiousity.
If nothing more, The Zone of Interest is an exceptionally atmospheric ghost story that will divide, disturb and haunt you long after its final frame. Glazer’s masterfully explicit direction is an unprecedented display of patience and precision; a powerful explication of less is more. The implication of its imagery, the duality of its banality of simple life, and its devastating indifference to its horrors of humanity is a testament to Glazer’s horrifying expose. The Zone of Interest is the pinnacle of evil; a bone-chilling cloak of absolute hatred and darkness that will enshroud you, devastate you and leave you breathless in its tragedy.
Evil is everywhere. In every frame. In every word. In everything.
The Zone of Interest is a place where you leave your soul behind.
