Phil Roberts 
The Zone of Interest is a revelation – for all the wrong reasons. Jonathan Glazer has successfully captured a moment in time that delivers an uncomfortable watch. The film is a disturbing work that offers a window into the heart of the Nazi idealism and the atrocities they so heartlessly executed.
The historical significance of Auschwitz and the horrors that happened behind its ominous concrete walls are well documented. The horrific genocide undertaken by Adolf Hitler’s Nazis at the infamous concentration camp is one of the darkest periods in human history. And in the past, many Hollywood directors have attempted to capture the true scale of the atrocities. Steven Spielberg came closest to capturing the essence of those terrible times in Schindler’s List. But despite its bleak and upsetting tone, the movie still felt like a work of Hollywood, albeit with a touch of Spielberg magic.
Now, Jonathan Glazer becomes the latest filmmaker to drag us down the Nazi rabbit hole with his Oscar-nominated THE ZONE OF INTEREST. Instead of focusing on the horrific mass murders taking place within Auschwitz’s borders, Glazer has focussed his tale on a single family. One closely associated with some of the biggest horrors in human history. But can he capture the palette of this bleak period? Or is The Zone of Interest another Hollywood retelling of the depths of human depravity?
Fear not cinephiles because The Zone of Interest is a revelation – for all the wrong reasons. Jonathan Glazer has successfully captured a moment in time that delivers an uncomfortable watch. More than that, the film is a disturbing work that offers a window into the heart of the Nazi idealism and the atrocities they so heartlessly executed. The result is a stomach-churning and difficult viewing experience that will leave its audience in awe. And by the time the credits roll, the true magnitude of the Nazi racial ideology will leave its mark on a whole new generation.
THE WALL
For the most part, Glazer tiptoes around the horrific images that are undoubtedly playing out inside the borders of Auschwitz. Instead, the film centers on Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), and his family of Nazis living alongside the camp itself. At the time of their introduction, we see the family at play – swimming in a picturesque lake bordered by a gloriously lush forest. The colors are warm, the sky is gloriously blue, and the vanilla clouds offer a sense of health and vitality. However, when the family packs up and returns home, the true palette of the film hits you like a ton of bricks.
Rudolf Höss is the commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp – and their ideal lush dream home sits on the borders of “The Zone of Interest.” The final destination for millions of Jews and their families. Their house is palatial and furnished with all the refinements of an affluent family. Their servants, or slaves for a better term are Jews…living under the fear of death should their work not meet Höss’ standards. And their taskmaster is his pompous and heartless wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) – and her tolerance for Jews is wafer-thin.
THE AUSCHWITZ FAMILY
Watching the family fraternize and relax on one side of the wall while the atrocities are taking place on the other is a difficult watch. One that will stay with the viewer long after the credits have rolled. Glazer doesn’t shy away from these repulsive acts. Instead of revealing them in vivid high-definition, the director forces the viewer to live through them via a succession of blood-curdling soundscapes. Throughout its running time, Jews can be heard screaming, crying, and pleading for their lives. All the while their brethren are being ushered into the gas chambers by the dozen. The sounds of torture become commonplace throughout, even during family meal times, and the ease at which the family goes about their daily lives as the screams echo across the region is truly upsetting.
Nothing encapsulates this more than Höss’ children. While their mother barks orders at her Jewish slaves, the children retire to their rooms to play – all the while being accompanied by the haunting sounds of horror. Bizarrely the children accept this as a normality and continue to pay happily while innocent people are put to death in droves. Furthermore, in one scene, Höss’ son is seen playing with a flashlight in bed and looking at his latest collection of toys. However, the collectibles in his hands aren’t action figures or bricks of LEGO, they’re gold-plated human teeth.
PROFITEERING
This profiteering speaks to the abhorrent relationship the Höss family has with death and destruction. When a train arrives, bringing more Jewish people for the gas chamber treatment, Hedwig is presented with a care package. Inside she retrieves a fur coat procured from one of the poor Jewish souls about to face their fate. She tries on the luxurious garment before parading in front of the mirror. All while the screams of the innocent echo across the courtyard. In the next scene, she is enjoying tea with friends and boasts about her discovery of a diamond hidden within a tube of Jewish toothpaste. Even laughing and boasting that she had ordered several more tubes on the off chance more could follow.
Their acceptance is this normality is challenged when Hedwig’s mother comes to visit. At first, she is in awe of the palatial house and the immense garden they tend. Even enjoying a few relaxing moments by the pool. But the reality of the situation soon hits home when the sounds of murder, and the ash from the camp’s furnaces flutter down all around them. Hedwig’s mother’s revulsion cannot be understated, and the sudden change in temperament is a jarring experience for the commandant’s wife. But that soon melts away when she rushes her children to be scrubbed down to wash off the stain of the Jewish remains.
THE SOUND OF HORROR
Every transgression by the family perpetuates the ongoing profiteering. So much so that the Nazis wallow in the benefits of the Holocaust. Even using the ashes from the Jewish furnaces to fertilize their lush kitchen garden. Which only compounds the upsetting events as they hit you in quick succession.
Adding to the growing discomfort of the story is the dark and foreboding score by composer Mica Levi. The score is devoid of joyous notes and uplifting soundscapes. Instead, the soundtrack is dark and mechanical – an obvious representation of the Nazi’s persistent view of their heinous crimes. And it serves to intensify the feeling of helplessness while the family continues to enjoy the fruits of their misgivings. It’s powerful stuff. It’ll challenge everything you know about World War II and force you to redefine your perspective on everything you know about the Holocaust.
PERCEPTION
While the film never shies away from the atrocities on the other side of the wall, it is equally concerned with how history records them. Glazer is eager to focus on the essence of familial life and the challenges they face. Even in this jaw-dropping backdrop. Throughout its arduous 105-minute running time, the film showcases the Höss family dynamic and the strains life at Auschwitz takes. For instance, when Rudolf Höss is transferred to a new post, Hedwig pleads to remain at the family home. A palace that took years of her dedication. The strain the duo endure as they are wrenched apart is reflective of modern-day life. And the busy lifestyles we enjoy today. However, the Höss’ relationship is only tarnished by the ever-present backdrop of the Holocaust.
This constant shroud is never far from the events as they unfold. The legacy attached to Rudolf’s actions is dragged into the present by the time the credits roll. In a truly uncomfortable moment that breaks the fourth wall, he comes to face with his legacy. And as this window into the atrocities at Auschwitz comes to a close we are left with some vivid and haunting images. Windows into history that optimize the Nazi genocide. These images will haunt your thinking for weeks to come – and that is the power of this story.
VERDICT
Overall, The Zone Of Interest is a truly uncomfortable watch. It is stomach-churning, powerful, underwhelming, and unforgettable. Jonathan Glazer may not have set out to break the mold and redefine the genre. But he has succeeded in doing so here. Should we praise a film that showcases the genocide of the Nazis? Is it morally just to heap praise on a property that brings us face-to-face with the stark reality of life at Auschwitz? Perhaps not. But this film is a necessary watch to truly redefine a moment in human history that needs to be seen to be believed.
The Zone of Interest has now been shortlisted for Best Picture at the Oscars. Given the nature of the film, the acclaim is justified. But when a film depicts one of the most brutal travesties in human history it is hard to see it as the best of anything. This is where the dividing line stands. And in truth, it’ll all come down to your perception of art over reality.
Is the film good? Yes, astoundingly so. Is it Oscar-worthy? You be the judge. But my criteria for what makes a best picture does not force me to confront horrific acts of genocide. Nor does it take pleasure in refreshing my patriotism and opening old wounds. But if judged on its artistic elements, then Glazer has done the unthinkable. He has delivered a film unlike any other. And that is what cinema is made for – just don’t expect it to be comfortable.
The Zone Of Interest is released via A24 and is playing in cinemas everywhere now.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
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