"The Zone of Interest" is a historical drama based on the novel of the same name by Martin Amis. Written and directed by Jonathan Glazer ("Sexy Beast", "Birth", "Under The Skin") and starring Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller, it shows a disturbing analysis of evil from a fascinatingly banal point of view.
In 1943 in Poland, Nazi SS officer Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) lives with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and five children in a nicely maintained house directly neighbouring the Auschwitz concentration camp he presides over. As he enjoys being stationed in this convenient location, Höss soon starts facing problems when he realises his work life and family life are beginning to intertwine. Things become especially complicated for Höss after he is given a promotion that will require him to move his family away from the very home they have all become so personally attached to. While trying to reach a compromise with his superiors regarding his family, Höss continues his work as per usual, transporting several Jewish prisoners to Auschwitz for execution.
If it hasn't already been made clear by now, the Holocaust was one of the deadliest mass genocides in human history. The horrific events that took place during this time period have been heavily preserved throughout the media, including but not limited to art, literature, and of course film. Many feature films have showcased the raw brutality and purely evil acts that occurred at this time, which serve as a reminder of why it is important that the general public never forget this monument to inhuman cruelty. Due to the shocking nature of what happened, most films understandably focus on the more sensationalistic side of the Holocaust, but in "The Zone of Interest" we see a more nuanced perspective of what was going on, which nonetheless achieves its intended goal of bringing attention to these atrocities.
What this film does that separates it from other Holocaust related media is that it focuses on the more mundane side of what was happening during this time. For instance, we see Rudolf Höss, a man who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews at Auschwitz, happily spending time with his family and interacting with close friends. While Höss relaxes in the backyard of his idyllic home, meanwhile over the large, grey wall, a genocide is being carried out at his orders, with faint screams in the background being a common sound. It is made clear to the audience that both Höss and his family are used to these otherwise horrifying sounds, with them all going about their daily routine like it is business as usual.
Later, Höss is seen talking with his two co-workers in the living room where they show him the plans for a bigger, more efficient crematorium to be implemented into the camp. As the three men interact with each other, it's jarring to watch how casually they treat the potential deaths of several hundred people as some kind of normal business decision. The most disturbing part is how this whole situation plays out in a manner more befitting to discussing something innocent like new labels on jars of peanut butter, even though the conversation in question involves the destruction of human life. A scene like this proves that true evil is actually in the smaller details rather than what is located at surface level.
Where I think this film truly shines is in its clever cinematography, which director Jonathan Glazer frequently uses to juxtapose the horror of the Holocaust with the simple, everyday life that Höss and his family have built for themselves. Throughout the movie, Glazer shows scenes with Höss enjoying the luxurious house he lives in with his family, mirroring how one in the 1940s might have spent their free time at home during this era. In one scene, Höss's children are seen happily playing in the garden pool with the looming concentration camp in the background. Oblivious to the barely audible gunshots, burning furnaces, and screams of terror, the kids happily continue to play in blissful ignorance. Similarly, Höss's wife Hedwig tends to her flower garden, remarking at the beautiful sight of what has finally started to bloom. A short time later, the family gardener cleans up what appears to be excess dirt near the wall, only to reveal that this "dirt" is actually something far more sinister. Glazer frames this shot with the bright garden greenery on the left and the dark threatening camp wall on the right, which I interpret as a juxtaposition of life and death in a twisted state of balance.
In addition to this, Glazer opts for a more simplistic approach to his storytelling technique as an effective way to showcase the "ordinary" activities happening around Rudolf Höss and his family. Rather than just focusing on Höss himself, Glazer instead decides to go for a more fly-on-the-wall point of view, often featuring Höss at a considerable distance away from the camera. For example, in one scene we see Höss taking his children fishing in a nearby river, where the kids innocently play together close to shore while Höss notices something that resembles a bone in the water. Glazer shoots this scene from far away so that the audience can hardly recognise what Höss pulls out from the river until the last minute, which in turn makes this scene more distressing in nature. In effect, it also prevents the viewer from garnering any sympathy for Höss and how this unsettling discovery has ruined his family's fun at the river, as we are kept at a distance from the character both literally and emotionally. It is clear that Glazer does not want anyone to ever empathise with a Nazi, even if he is doing something otherwise honourable like being a good father.
Though the individual cast members are not supposed to be the main focus of the story, each of the two lead actors did a decent job in their roles. Christian Friedel plays Rudolf Höss not as a caricature of a Nazi but as a seemingly regular man working to provide for his family. Unfortunately, that job Höss works just so happens to involve the genocide of a large group of people, which the film makes sure to remind us of whenever we may feel like identifying with him. Höss may seem like a nice enough guy when he's around his family and friends, but when you remember what he shamelessly does at his job on a daily basis, he's actually an irredeemable monster.
Likewise, Sandra Hüller's approach to playing Hedwig is that of a supportive wife who only wants what's best for her husband and children. She wants to stay where she and the family feel most comfortable, and is understandably upset when she learns that they all might have to move away. In most other cases, someone like Hedwig could be viewed as a good wife for Höss with a moral compass that the audience can find themselves supporting throughout the film. However, it is quickly made clear that Hedwig is fully aware of what her husband does for work, and choosing to remain married to him with that in mind makes her an equally terrible person.
As another important reminder of one of the deadliest mass murders in history, the approach taken by "The Zone of Interest" helps it stand out not through conventional shock but rather through its subtly evil undertones. Though it may not induce the same level of trauma as other more notable Holocaust films, it nonetheless leaves an impression on the viewer in different ways. It's easy to forget that sometimes the devil is in the details, as all of the horrible things that occurred during this dark event didn't simply happen all at once, they were intricately planned out over a period of time. There aren't too many movies that examine a topic like the Holocaust in such a sophisticated manner, so for that reason alone the film is commendable.
I rate it 8/10.
In 1943 in Poland, Nazi SS officer Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) lives with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and five children in a nicely maintained house directly neighbouring the Auschwitz concentration camp he presides over. As he enjoys being stationed in this convenient location, Höss soon starts facing problems when he realises his work life and family life are beginning to intertwine. Things become especially complicated for Höss after he is given a promotion that will require him to move his family away from the very home they have all become so personally attached to. While trying to reach a compromise with his superiors regarding his family, Höss continues his work as per usual, transporting several Jewish prisoners to Auschwitz for execution.
If it hasn't already been made clear by now, the Holocaust was one of the deadliest mass genocides in human history. The horrific events that took place during this time period have been heavily preserved throughout the media, including but not limited to art, literature, and of course film. Many feature films have showcased the raw brutality and purely evil acts that occurred at this time, which serve as a reminder of why it is important that the general public never forget this monument to inhuman cruelty. Due to the shocking nature of what happened, most films understandably focus on the more sensationalistic side of the Holocaust, but in "The Zone of Interest" we see a more nuanced perspective of what was going on, which nonetheless achieves its intended goal of bringing attention to these atrocities.
What this film does that separates it from other Holocaust related media is that it focuses on the more mundane side of what was happening during this time. For instance, we see Rudolf Höss, a man who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews at Auschwitz, happily spending time with his family and interacting with close friends. While Höss relaxes in the backyard of his idyllic home, meanwhile over the large, grey wall, a genocide is being carried out at his orders, with faint screams in the background being a common sound. It is made clear to the audience that both Höss and his family are used to these otherwise horrifying sounds, with them all going about their daily routine like it is business as usual.
Later, Höss is seen talking with his two co-workers in the living room where they show him the plans for a bigger, more efficient crematorium to be implemented into the camp. As the three men interact with each other, it's jarring to watch how casually they treat the potential deaths of several hundred people as some kind of normal business decision. The most disturbing part is how this whole situation plays out in a manner more befitting to discussing something innocent like new labels on jars of peanut butter, even though the conversation in question involves the destruction of human life. A scene like this proves that true evil is actually in the smaller details rather than what is located at surface level.
Where I think this film truly shines is in its clever cinematography, which director Jonathan Glazer frequently uses to juxtapose the horror of the Holocaust with the simple, everyday life that Höss and his family have built for themselves. Throughout the movie, Glazer shows scenes with Höss enjoying the luxurious house he lives in with his family, mirroring how one in the 1940s might have spent their free time at home during this era. In one scene, Höss's children are seen happily playing in the garden pool with the looming concentration camp in the background. Oblivious to the barely audible gunshots, burning furnaces, and screams of terror, the kids happily continue to play in blissful ignorance. Similarly, Höss's wife Hedwig tends to her flower garden, remarking at the beautiful sight of what has finally started to bloom. A short time later, the family gardener cleans up what appears to be excess dirt near the wall, only to reveal that this "dirt" is actually something far more sinister. Glazer frames this shot with the bright garden greenery on the left and the dark threatening camp wall on the right, which I interpret as a juxtaposition of life and death in a twisted state of balance.
In addition to this, Glazer opts for a more simplistic approach to his storytelling technique as an effective way to showcase the "ordinary" activities happening around Rudolf Höss and his family. Rather than just focusing on Höss himself, Glazer instead decides to go for a more fly-on-the-wall point of view, often featuring Höss at a considerable distance away from the camera. For example, in one scene we see Höss taking his children fishing in a nearby river, where the kids innocently play together close to shore while Höss notices something that resembles a bone in the water. Glazer shoots this scene from far away so that the audience can hardly recognise what Höss pulls out from the river until the last minute, which in turn makes this scene more distressing in nature. In effect, it also prevents the viewer from garnering any sympathy for Höss and how this unsettling discovery has ruined his family's fun at the river, as we are kept at a distance from the character both literally and emotionally. It is clear that Glazer does not want anyone to ever empathise with a Nazi, even if he is doing something otherwise honourable like being a good father.
Though the individual cast members are not supposed to be the main focus of the story, each of the two lead actors did a decent job in their roles. Christian Friedel plays Rudolf Höss not as a caricature of a Nazi but as a seemingly regular man working to provide for his family. Unfortunately, that job Höss works just so happens to involve the genocide of a large group of people, which the film makes sure to remind us of whenever we may feel like identifying with him. Höss may seem like a nice enough guy when he's around his family and friends, but when you remember what he shamelessly does at his job on a daily basis, he's actually an irredeemable monster.
Likewise, Sandra Hüller's approach to playing Hedwig is that of a supportive wife who only wants what's best for her husband and children. She wants to stay where she and the family feel most comfortable, and is understandably upset when she learns that they all might have to move away. In most other cases, someone like Hedwig could be viewed as a good wife for Höss with a moral compass that the audience can find themselves supporting throughout the film. However, it is quickly made clear that Hedwig is fully aware of what her husband does for work, and choosing to remain married to him with that in mind makes her an equally terrible person.
As another important reminder of one of the deadliest mass murders in history, the approach taken by "The Zone of Interest" helps it stand out not through conventional shock but rather through its subtly evil undertones. Though it may not induce the same level of trauma as other more notable Holocaust films, it nonetheless leaves an impression on the viewer in different ways. It's easy to forget that sometimes the devil is in the details, as all of the horrible things that occurred during this dark event didn't simply happen all at once, they were intricately planned out over a period of time. There aren't too many movies that examine a topic like the Holocaust in such a sophisticated manner, so for that reason alone the film is commendable.
I rate it 8/10.