This The Zone of Interest review contains minor spoilers.
The Zone of Interest released in the UK earlier this month and is directed by Jonathan Glazer. While it’s a co-production between the UK, United States, and Poland, the film is almost entirely in native German with snippets of Polish and Yiddish mixed in.
It tells the story of Rudolf Höss (played by Christian Friedel), the notorious commandant of the Auschwitz II-Birkenau death camp, and his life with his family just beyond the camp’s walls.
Höss’ household consists of his wife Hedwig Höss (played by Sandra Hüler), their five children, and those who work for them (some by force).
The narrative focusses more on Höss’ life outside the camp. However, there are moments his “work” bleeds into his home life. An example of this is when Nazi officials come to discuss the construction of a new crematorium for the camp, designed to make the destruction of the dead more efficient.
We also see what life is like for the rest of the Höss family, as they go about their lives in the shadow of such an evil place. It depicts what they do in their spare time and for recreation. As such, the plot of this film doesn’t matter quite as much as the feelings it is trying to convey.
The Höss family live a somewhat banal and ordinary life. Father goes to work while the children go to school and mother takes care of running the house. They have family dinners together, go on outings, and throw garden parties for friends. All this is undercut by the constant sounds and visuals of terror from within the camp.
The Zone of Interest is unique in the fact that it never actually depicts any acts of violence. But the audience is constantly reminded of the horrors that are being perpetrated just beyond the wall.
Perpetual sounds of the brutal operations of the camp can be heard throughout the film. The sounds of gunshots relentlessly pierce bird song, dog barks, and the screams of anguish from prisoners forced to suffer the machinations of sadistic guards.
This is partly what makes the film so intriguing. The director knows the audience is aware of what’s happening in the camp, and sound is used to make it all the more haunting. By extension, the soundtrack is less of a score and more an ominous blaring of noise that evokes doom.
The Zone of Interest sometimes cuts to a blank colour, stranding the audience with nothing but those harrowing sounds. This left me with a feeling of hopeless resignation, as there is no escaping it.
If the sound was not enough, visual reminders are always there, too. Scenes in the garden are framed with a giant wall adorned with barbed wire, reminding the audience of how close and claustrophobic it is.
The ever present guards tower looms over the house as much as it does the camp. It can even be seen during family dinners, a constant reminder of the place’s true nature. From the crematorium chimney, endlessly billowing out smoke from the most recent mass murder, to the steam of trains bringing thousands to their inevitable fate.
At night, the same chimney gives off a sickly orange glow, decorating the house in its demonic glare. It also spits fire on occasion, reminding the audience that this idilic home is situated next to hell on Earth. This is a mastery of “show, don’t tell” and highlights the human cost of this awful period of history.
Particularly striking are the reactions – or lack thereof – from the members of the Höss family. The disconnect of being exposed to these sights, sounds, and smells while being able to sit at the table and eat birthday cake is astounding.
Likewise, while the film shows the human sides of Höss and his family, their indifference to suffering and ability to ignore it all exposes their true mechanical and monstrous nature. This is exemplified when Hedwig’s mother comes to stay.
She starts off by explaining how wonderful the house is, while flippantly telling a story about dividing up the belongings of a forcibly-removed Jewish neighbour with a friend. She even remarks, “Who knows what Bolshevik activities she was up to.”
This arrogant demeanour changes, however, when she hears those previously mentioned sounds. She is visibly shaken by the screams of anguish and echoes of gunfire ringing throughout the garden, all while her daughter casually describes the plants she is growing.
The revulsion that Hedwig’s mother displays mirrored my own reaction and reinforces the stark disregard shown by the rest of the family.
Rudolf often reads stories to his children to help them get to sleep. The thought of this man as both a loving father and one of the most odious human beings to ever walk the Earth is chilling.
It is a reminder that not all monsters are pure sadists (like Amon Göth in Schindler’s List), but can be people that, to the outside world, appear decent and respectable.
Coming in at just 105 minuets, this is not a long film. But it uses its time expertly, making the most of every second. Its ability to depict the Holocaust without showing it was a commendable choice and separates it from its contemporaries.
The acting is also top-tier, with Friedel depicting Höss as a cold, distant, and austere man who is occasionally able to display genuine affection for his family. The standout performance is from Sandra Hüller, who conveys great emotion when she is angered by the comparatively menial things happening in her personal life. This is contrasted by her shocking lack of empathy to the suffering of tens of thousand of innocent people just yards away.
The ability to portray a person so at ease with death and destruction (while talking so casually about items she’s received that have been stolen from prisoners) was truly outstanding.
Though I found a few moments to be a little confused, such as some of the monotone scenes, what The Zone of Interest does do well, it does extremely well. As such, I can highly recommend it.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
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