User reviews

The medium of 'Cinema' is widely recognized as a means of visual storytelling, where a series of moving images move the narrative forward, with background sound playing a secondary role. However, there are instances where the audio takes control of the sequences and defies conventionality.

Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest" serves as a prime example of this phenomenon. The director skilfully employs a variety of sounds, such as the constant arrivals of trains, gunshots, and the burning of chimneys, creating an atmosphere that is undeniably terrifying.

Whilst there are a few noteworthy cinematographic elements, including effective use of juxtaposition, it is the background score and sound design that bear the brunt of the storytelling.

For those interested in watching this film in the comfort of their homes, I would personally recommend finding the quietest possible environment, utilizing proper sound systems or headphones (preferably noise-canceling ones), and try to watch the entire thing in one sitting, without interruptions.

Trust me, this approach will significantly enhance your perception of the film.

However, it is important to note that the film heavily relies on visual as well as auditory 'insinuations,' such as suggestive sounds and framings, to convey its message. As a result, individuals who are might be unfamiliar with historical events, particularly those lacking knowledge of "The Holocaust," may struggle to grasp these subtleties.

In essence, it is not a readily accessible feature for all viewers out there. Bear that in mind.

This film was definitely different than I expected. Yes, it's a little slow. But you have to go into the screening not waiting for something big to happen. The whole point of the film is to show us that while all the horrific events of the Holocaust were happening and Jews were being murdered just for existing, there were plenty of folks that lived like everything was normal.

The fact the the Hoss family didn't even register the screams, cries, gunshots, dogs barking and massive amounts of fire and smoke shooting into the air right next door, just shows how self involved, entitled & oblivious they were. Thank goodness for Grandma who realized things were not right even after wondering aloud if her ex employer was "over there."

The most telling bit of action that I thought was genius was the dog, Dilla. The household is calmly going about their days. Servants are stoically doing their jobs, kids are playing and Mom is busy revelling in how great she has it. There's a bit of unrest in the house because of a disturbed sleep-walking daughter and a baby girl that obviously knows this world is f-ed up and is crying nonstop hoping Mom will let her go back into the good place.

But Dilla! She is trying to get anyone's attention! She is running, scratching on doors, whining and barking in every shot. Obviously she is the only one who REALLY hears what's going on next door and knows there are very bad people there. She can hear the cries and screams. Why won't anyone pay attention to her and listen to what she has to say? Somebody pay attention to the dog! Listen to Dilla! She's trying to tell you something and she's the only one that sees the truth.

There's a house that looks and feels like any other, with a mother and her children who are brothers - and there's a wall around this plot, the other side people are not, and they will not get the chance, to rediscover. As the father is the commandant of death, responsible for taking their last breath, though he lives without a care, just like his wife who loves it there, and it's clear they're very proud, of their success. After all, you have to have a certain mind, to exterminate a race of humankind, and then live a normal life, without guilt, or strain, or strife, in a house, with a big wall, to hide behind.

I think that is the theme of this well-made, engrossing film. That evil, even the worst imaginable, often does not recognize itself. We would like to think evil looks like traditional things we associate with it, like the Devil or monsters, but what "The Zone of Interest" demonstrates very believably, is that the perpetrators of some of the worst atrocities in human history otherwise might pass for "normal" even in today's society.

The Hoss family living in the shadows of Auschwitz might otherwise be the poster family for what you would be looking for in an ideal neighbor. A working father, a mother nurturing a large and healthy family of children. What could be wrong??? Well they could be basing their idyllic existence on the mass murder of thousands and thousands of human beings!!!

The film is excellent in how it gives us hints to the unspeakable things happening "over the wall" but let's us as viewers remain unsettled by the indifference of those on the side of the wall we are sharing with who are the true monsters of this story.

Great filmmaking.

The Zone of Interest starts off with a black screen which is rather disconcerting and from this point on the tone is set for a film which shows some of the horrors of Auschwitz concentration camp. Once this black screen makes way we are introduced to Rudolf and Hedwig Höss and their family as they enjoy a sun drenched picnic in the countryside. Rudolf Höss was the longest-serving commandant of Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp. Rudolf and Hedwig have their family home next to Auschwitz seemingly living their best normal life just feet away from the atrocities taking place nearby. In this house they have nice furnishings, a swimming pool and beautiful flowers in a picturesque garden. The couple are not always self aware that they are monsters as they parade themselves as if conducting purely normal duties, Hedwig particularly proud of being "Queen of Auschwitz". The sound design is outstanding as the events over the wall are detailed with a subtlety which is very realistic and distressing. This film is one I won't rewatch on many occasions as it was clearly a disturbing story which was directed with great detail. The background scenes of smoke billowing in the distance and trains arriving add to the horrific nature set against the innocence of the young children who live next door. The end credit music was very jarring, clearly there to make sure you don't forget this cinematic experience in a hurry.

2 remarks: 1) I'm a Jew and had relatives killed in the Holocaust, 2) I prefer German and Japan-made movies about WW2 because I believe that war stories are more accurately told by losers than winners.

This movie does a great job showing what attitude most(?) or at least Nazi Germans had towards Jews and in general to what was happening in the 1930s-10940s. That is, "normalization". Because Jews aren't humans, they are cockroaches which need to be exterminated so that the proper humans (Germans with blond hair and blue eyes) could build the happy society of the future.

Although I'm a Jew, I kinda built empathy with the characters - this is the huge success of this movie. And by the middle of the movie I was feeling that this Auschwitz camp is really a nuisance to all these good German people trying to lead normal lives. Why are there so many Jews to kill? Can't somebody just kill them faster? Why is there noise coming from behind the walls? Somebody (like the movie's protagonist) should take smart measures. E.g. The rotating gas chambers. There you could quickly put the Jews in and get the ashes out. I even started feeling respect for this guy. He has these innovative solutions for everything. He is almost married to his job and undergoes "professional deformation": when attending a party (with other Germans and highly ranked Nazi members) he imagines how such crowd could be gassed efficiently. What a great guy, a true workaholic which mediocre people don't give enough credit to.

In that regard, the few pieces that condemn Nazis even feel out of place and look like they're there only there to not make the movie look pro-Nazi (if any idiot would imagine it to be pro-Nazi, yet I guess the possibility is still there). Like, in the middle there is a poem of some camp victim. I guess, with those pieces removed the movie would have an even stronger effect! It would be the strongest if by the end of the movie the viewer would feel "normalization" to the fullest, and only maybe in the very end there would be a scene where it's all shattered again. I dunno, I would love to see Russian or American (better Russian, since Russians are bad, right?) bombers eventually bombing the town and then some evil dirty drunk Russian soldiers coming and destroying everything, and the protagonist getting hanged for his "alleged" crimes (in "reality", just being a great person but on the wrong side of history). But yeah, this just wouldn't be let thru. There are still too many real Nazis out there, so the issue remain still surprisingly politically sensitive.

The scenes with a modern museum of Holocaust (which come close to the movie's end) are strong. To me that was a reminder that no one actually cares about those ancient events anymore. Like, when was that? 1940s. Gee, that's like ages ago. It's like discussing Napoleon. Boring! Was it when the Americans defeated Stalin? Who cares. Haha a pile of old shoes. Why not throw that trash out? Imagine your typical 12-year old, working-class kid who watches TicToc celebrities. Now he's forcefully brought to this museum as part of some history class. And he has to watch this old crap and waste time learning about how some Jews were killed. Like, Jews? Aren't they bad people? Like, greedy and stuff? You get the picture. And the lady cleaning the ovens (btw these oven were made by Bosch which is a great company and made great ovens) - that's just genius. Because the museum is where middle-class people come. It must be clean. If dust gathers on an oven, it looks disorderly and visitors will complain that they received poor service for the price they paid for the museum admission.

I honestly would give this movie a 10/10 if it had LESS critique of Nazis, for an even more morbid atmosphere that would eventually come to total numbing and normalization. But instead, the movie's attempts to stay politically correct and within limits of various sensitivities take away some of it's power and end up a 8/10. Still, it's one of the best WW2 movies.

What comes in mind after hearing Auschwitz? You would say concentration camps, Extermination centers, genocide, starved Jews getting tortured and many more such references. But one can just not think of Rudolf Höss, The commandant of Auschwitz and his wife Hedwig seemingly living their dream in a house build next to the camp where all those atrocities were taking place.

This Jonathan Glazer's film is one of a kind movie in which you'll only hear the references of holocaust in background noises that reverberates in your head for hours after the movie. The way in which the commandant family is shown living their normal life when humans are being burnt alive just feets away will surely give you chills.

Sandra Hüller gives yet another thrilling performance after Anatomy of a Fall (also nominated for Oscars). Playing the commandant's wife Hedwig she portrays a cold and ruthless lady so consumed in her own world that she's completely ignorant towards the noises and smoke from the furnaces of these extermination camps.

This Glazer's epic deserves recognition and it's about time the Oscars reward one of, if not the most, audacious films of the year.

It's possible to receive a beautiful mink stole without a thought to where it came from. And equally possible to add gold filled human teeth to your childhood collection with no clue as to how they left someone's mouth and ended up in your hands.

The commandant of a death/slave labor/concentration camp appears to be just an average guy, good father, considerate husband who goes to work each day and brings NOTHING of his actual accomplishments home to the wife and kids. The loot seems to show up almost supernaturally. If he is losing any sleep over his professional duties we're not made aware if it. If his wife and children have even the slightest clue as to what is going on literally next door, we don't sense it.

The Holocaust was perpetrated by bureaucrats as well as those who physically carried out their deadly assignments. Zone of Interest is definitely emotionally unsettling. But even more so, it is intellectually disturbing to contemplate the enormity of the crimes committed by ordinary people and the blissful ignorance of those who didn't see, smell or hear anything accompanying the horrors happening literally next door. If anything, this film is a lesson for today that it can happen again, anytime, anywhere.

When evil occurs, what do the perpetrators do when they clock off? Do they pray for forgiveness? Do they have sex? Or do they just garden, worry about work, and wash and clean the clothes, choosing to believe the horrors happening close by are somehow normal, lawful, and for the best. If you became a perpetrator, what would you do?

The Zone of Interest is a deeply affecting example of non-narrative cinema that will grip, terrify, and stay with audiences who are prepared to resonate with it. If you're not in the appropriate frame of mind or don't have good speakers, you will find it deathly dull.

The film relies heavily on chilling and inventive sound design and music to unsettle the audience as we get to know the family and household of the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife, Hedwig.

As imagined warbling and belching echos of industrial pain ring in our ears, we see the deeply undramatic strivings of Rudolf and Hedwig to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp. Nothing happens that would make it onto a holiday postcard. None of the horrors of Auschwitz are shown. If you don't know about Auschwitz then this film will feel like an experimentalist audio-sensory stamina test.

The camera is nearly always static and wide. The cuts are slow. The dialogue is highly naturalistic. Scenes play out with the barest hint of action, but when you know what is happening just over the wall of the garden, it creates a truly dreadful atmosphere. Horrific in the truest sense as we are presented with the fact that committing evil can be a 9-5 job, and people who are decent, like you and me, like your parents, like your children, can do truly evil and despicable things.

Knowing that, how can we improve our world?

The zone of interest is an incredibly creative new take on a topic that has been part of the cultural consciousness for decades. I have to applaud the filmmakers for showing the unimaginable horrors of the hollocaust without actually showing it. Instead, we follow the family of Rudolf Höss, the man in charge of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and how they go about their daily lives. They live in a spatious home, with a beautiful garden that happens to be located right next to the concentration camp. Like one of their garden walls is literally the prison wall. Throughout the movie, we never catch a look insight of the camp walls, but while the children enjoy a summer day in the family pool, we hear the occasional shots in the background throughout the movie. We hear screams of prisoners and guards alike. And of course, we see the constant flames and the smoke coming out of the ovens in which the bodies of thousands of people are turned to ashes. It creates a surreal but captivating atmosphere of happy family life right next to torture and death, that they are in a major part responsible for. The only criticism that I have is that the movie doesn´t really have a plot that advances the story, so it just becomes 100 minues of drawing out the same idea. It is still a good movie, but as a 30 or 45 minute short film, it would have worked perfectly.

I love movies that take a well-known story line and views it from a different angle, which is exactly what "The Zone of Interest" does. Based on the real life Rudolf Hoss, a top commander at Auschwitz in World War II, the film rather than focusing on the goings on in the concentration camp, provides the perspective of Hoss and his family from their nearby residence.

The family is almost oblivious to what's going on just yards away, despite the distant sounds of Jewish people screaming and gunshots heard throughout the film, and the red evening light that appears whenever the large crematorium is lit at night. Or the sounds of the crematorium, which can be hear periodically throughout the movie. In one scene, the family is shown lounging by a river near their home as Jews are marched passed them in a nearby forest heading to their fate. The family doesn't even notice them.

Fortunately, some three years later, Hoss is convicted and executed for his role at Auschwitz. Not sure what happened to his family.

The movie is very well made, and about as eerie as it gets. Reminds me of another equally creepy film from 2003 called "Elephant" about the Columbine High School massacre shown through the eyes of the students and future victims.

I suspect my title is the point. We weren't supposed to enjoy this movie. It made me uneasy and uncomfortable. The characters being blasé living next to such horrors was disturbing. I know the academy loves flashy performances but this should have been Sandra huller's nomination. 'Anatomy of a fall' didn't do it for me like this film did. Like the weirdo I am, I'd watch this multiple times. It's THAT good. I imagine the only next worse thing is visiting Auschwitz. The characters were so wonderful in their lack of caring except the husband who gains some humanity. Really heartbreaking when That happens. Definitely an important film to watch.

The Holocaust is a difficult thing to deal with in any medium, film included. The Zone of Interest is something rather rare, a movie about the Holocaust from the Nazi perspective. That's not to say it takes their side, it very much does the opposite. This is a movie about one man who was instrumental in the daily functioning of the death machine; Rudolph Hoss, commandant of Auschwitz, and his family as they work to create a home for themselves adjacent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. In simplest terms, this is the day to day lives of the people responsible for the atrocities.

Minimalism is key here - there is very little dialogue, very little music, and the interior of the camp does not appear at all in the main story. Irrespective of what it provokes in audiences, there is very little emotion portrayed. There isn't even that much of a story, even in its fairly short runtime. It also has a certain claustrophobic rigidity. You can count on one hand the number of times the camera moves. While this is a movie with a strong message, it is not explicitly delivered or spelled out at all. Deciphering this film is closer to analyzing a painting than a more standard movie. It can be quite daunting.

Ultimately, The Zone of Interest is about two things - normalization and detachment. Popular culture, back then and now, oftentimes depicts Nazis as these sort of cartoonish, comic book-esque villains. This is a film that reminds us that they were no less human than you or I. They had the same worries that many of us have - family drama, job promotion, etc. That's not to say it's trying to make excuses or anything - they know exactly what's going on. The disturbing elements of the movie are no so much as the gunshots and crematoriums in the background, but the normalcy with which it is treated.

There are also several surreal sequences in this movie, and their meaning is particularly difficult to discern. For instance, the scene where the entire screen turns red. The movie opens with a solid minute of a blank, black screen. Some scenes are filmed in negative. These are kind of a deterrent, in a way not. They do break up the monotony, but the monotony is the point of the movie. The ending of the movie is... disturbing, to say the least. It feels like a horror movie scene with an inevitable jumpscare that doesn't come.

The Zone of Interest is a unique film, that's for certain. Your mileage may vary. If you know what you're getting in to, then you may find some appreciation for this unusual vision.

In German, the verb "scheinen" can mean either "to shine" or "to seem". And from the outside the beautiful light-colored house, the garden abunding in greens and flowers and the life the commander and his family made for themselves all "shine" to be idealistic. But one just cannot dettach this little haven from the hellish environment beyond the walls and the director along with the sound team make sure that we understand that all of this is a facade. The constant gun shooting, the yelling of people begging and crying for their life, the violently bloodish sky at night or a sudden fade from a pleasingly aesthetic red flower to a screen soaked in a bright red that is burning our eyes are just some of the methods used to tell the audience, more or less subtly, that attrocities are happening. The sound is in my opinion one of the main elements that breeds this "horror movie trying to masquerade as family-friendly film atmosphere" but the darkness of the inside of the house at night is also visually re-inforcing this mood. In the end, the abject character of the vital background just grows and grows until it is literally "spitted" and then it becomes the foreground (a little time travel happens), only to return for a short scene in which a character descends into the darkness of a stairway, down into the pitch black of history.

One of those films that is incredibly difficult to watch, I kept feeling like getting up and walking around the room, uncomfortable and yet compelling. We need these films to remind us that this is a real part of life, and these events involved ordinary people, living normal lives, just like the rest of us. Terrifying.

The story starts out with general scenes of the family in their normal household routine, and it takes awhile before you figure out there is more going on than meets the eye. The slow dawning of the truth is what compels the story forward.

The acting is all very top notch, and the subtitles are well done, writing as a bilingual viewer.

Please do not show this film to children or young adults!

Zone of Interest is an unusual film in that it's more a meditation on evil than a traditional feature film drama.

As a traditional feature film it's a bit slow, lacks character development (outside the main character), is a tad self-consciously arty, and repetitive - early on I found myself thinking, "yeah, I get it, let's move it along".

But taken as a piece of art or a meditation, it's original, chilling, immersive, harrowing, and darkly beautiful. Those initial concerns about pacing soon disappeared as I found myself horrified by the juxtaposition of the uncaring, brutal mundanity of the Commandant's family life just outside the camp, and the unimaginable, unseen horrors that were happening literally metres away inside the camp. This is one of those rare films that has me still thinking about it a week after I saw it.

Worth seeing so you can make up your own mind.

One of the strangest movies I've seen in recent times. It contains a very unique structure, a very anticlimactic story, a very atypical painting. It's certainly difficult to analyze. The truth is that The Zone of Interest is a very interesting proposal, a different and very strange look at a context in which direct and explicit war sequences usually take place.

Without a doubt, the most notable are the technical aspects, starting with the production design. Neat, geometric, symmetrical, detailed, meticulous. The sets are impeccable. The locations, beautiful. The main house, absolutely perfect for the events on display.

But not only that, the sound editing is impeccable, he is another character in the film. A fundamental element in the general proposal. The soundtrack, another key element. It serves to make the audience uncomfortable to create the necessary dissonance within all the bizarre contrast. Editing and Photography, perfect. Great level. Moving on to the performances, the most notable is that of the female lead. The rest complies.

In short, a different and challenging film. It horrifies the viewer from a new perspective.

This film might give a perspective into what life was like during that time period and how everyday Germans lived

I have just visited Auschwitz so timing of this movie was very well placed. Like I am sure many before me, my visit left me coming away with many questions that people cannot answer, but the biggest one is really how could such an operation have taken place? How did the nazis gat away with it for so long?

This film shows in part why, how Auschwitz and the camps around it provided a lifestyle for some German families. How the horrors that went on were ignored and excused and although people knew, they didn't question.

Unlike other, similar films, this has a very cold feel to it. As life with the family goes on like any other family, you see or hear glimpses of the horrors continually taking place, but these are not at the forefront of daily life, this is just background noise to the families other issues, the contrast is stark

I don't think this movie is for everyone, it's not action packed and lacks the Hollywood feel many will want, but it depicts an important image, one which everyone should see, but not to understand.

The Zone of Interest is a film that will stick with you long after you are done watching. It's haunting, very well directed, and there are very good performances throughout. Also the sound editor needs to receive huge kudos here due to their tremendous job. I did not know what to expect going into this film but left knowing this would stick with me for a while. Even though you may not see what is happening but just hearing what is happening next door is so painful to witness. Especially when you know what is really happening next door from where our main characters live. The Zone of Interest is a film I could only see one time due to the type of content it has. A well crafted film that gets 8 stars out of 10 from me.

Holocaust-themed films have consistently been a pivotal element of global cinema. They navigate through the darkest facets of humanity while simultaneously unveiling the most noble aspects of the human spirit. Whether showcasing the harrowing depths or the commendable heights of human conduct, these stories leave a lasting impact, garnering accolades and serving as a poignant reminder of a past that horrifies yet inspires.

Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone Of Interest" distinguishes itself within this genre; No other film has so incisively captured the mundane nature of evil. Despite the atrocities occurring just beyond view, audible yet distant, the film presents a narrative deeply rooted in the day-to-day that feels eerily familiar.

It weaves in everyday life events - from sibling rivalries and heartfelt mother-daughter conversations to chance encounters with man's best friend and brushes with authoritative bosses. These vignettes resonate with anyone familiar with the nuances of everyday life, setting a profound contrast against the backdrop of evil's banality.

The performances by Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel are nothing short of remarkable. However, their brilliance is subtly masked, as Glazer maintains a deliberate distance throughout the film. This artistic choice fosters a connection to the mundane aspects of daily life while preventing the audience from becoming overly attached to the underlying evil of the presented characters. This sense of commonality is skillfully juxtaposed with the stark contrasts of the film's setting, underscored by a haunting soundtrack orchestrated by Mica Levi and her team.

The film's power is amplified by a resonant tie between past and present, culminating in the final scenes. It serves as a chilling reminder that the past, though distant, remains profoundly relevant.

Where does one start with this?

The greatest evil ever perpetrated by man-kind was perpetrated by people. Real people...

The Zone of Interest shows us the life of the family Hoess - the commandant of KZ Auschwitz - in their house right next to the camp. No spoilers.

This is a very complex film. Terrible. True. Devastating. It remains beyond human comprehension how such things could happen. But they did. In The Zone of Interest, we see a representation of this and what it looked like.

There is a story here, but the film-watcher will be less interested in that. They will be more interested in the way the film is shot and how the sound permeates the whole piece to create an atmosphere of chill and horror removed from any sense of reality. Oscars for sound and best international film.

The camera is used very frequently to give perspective shots which render the individuals small and isolated. The players and their story are almost inconsequential compared to the pervasive feeling and ambience of the proximity of great evil. Indeed - we can hear it constantly and sometimes we see the smoke of the crematoria too, adding to the dread.

The film trades on what we already know about the Holocaust, it doesn't show us, it doesn't need to. So, as a result, much of the story is played out in the imagination of the viewer rather than on the screen. It's clever and devastating to use the imagination of the viewer like this, and disabling.

And the perpetrators of these horrors were themselves disabled. Wholly emotionally disabled. To organise and oversee those things - they would have to be. We sense this in Hoess. His camp is a killing machine - an extention of his personality. Yet - he has a wife and children. In any other reality, he would probably be a reasonable and generous family man. But he is a mass murderer - a ruthlessly efficient one. We the viewer cannot penetrate his mind.

The Zone of Interest is a very good film, but it's not a great one. The reason it's not great is not because of bad filming, acting or technique. Nothing like that. The reason that this is not a great film is because too much of it rests outside of the movie. It rests in our imagination. The film itself leans into this too when using black & white cut-in sections. This does not make it a bad film, experimental yes, but not bad.

I would recommend having a clear mind when sitting to watch The Zone of Interest. It is appalling and chilling. At times I wondered if I should switch it off, it was so upsetting, but I made myself continue. Watch this film - and see what you think.

Yet young mom determined to make the best of it, raising and guiding her young ones. She also plants a glorious garden, thriving despite the smoke and fumes spewing from that noxious camp next door.

Meanwhile, dad, who oversees the camp, is thriving at work, increasing production and impressing his superiors. He's soon on the fast track and given bigger challenges and higher goals. Can he lead his team to surmount these enormous demands?

He starts every meeting on time and is enthralled with the new technology a design firm proposes. If punctuality, discipline and desire to improve mean anything, this young leader may yet make his mark on the world.