The Zone of Interest is one of the most uncomfortable movies I have seen in quite some time. I have seen many movies about the Holocaust, but this takes a very different approach to things, an approach that I do not think I have seen before. My wife and I love to talk about a movie just after we have watched it, but this was a movie that was just so hard to actually talk about.
How to Download The Zone of Interest
The Zone of Interest was released on 15 December 2023. You can expect it to become available for download or streaming on digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video in about two months from that time. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
Most movies that are about the Holocaust or deal with it in some way have the Nazis as these monsters, they are easy to hate and you can see just how evil they are. The Zone of Interest shows things in a different way and while this is based on a book, it is an approach that I had never even considered before.
A Different Perspective
What we have here is the story of Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig Höss. Rudolf Höss was the commandant at Auschwitz. Rudolf lives next to the camp with his wife Hedwig and their children and this movie is basically about his married and family life. I am not saying that they humanize him or make you care about him, but they show that he is a “normal” person and he had a normal life despite the horrors that he was responsible for.
Most movies that deal with this subject shock you by showing you the horrific things that happened during the Holocaust. The Zone of Interest is different in that we see them kind of, off-screen. For example, you will see the smoke, you will hear the gunshots, you hear the new prisoners being transported in, you see the ash, the body parts in the river! It is all terrible stuff and it makes you realize what is happening, but that is not the focus of the movie.
Compelling Performances
Rudolf and Hedwig are played by Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller. I am not familiar with their past work, but these two had amazing chemistry. You really do buy that they are this “normal” married couple, but then something will catch your eye and make you remember that these are two truly evil people. I wonder if their amazing performances will get them some major roles in Hollywood in the coming years.
Unforgettable Experience
As I have said multiple times, The Zone of Interest is such a hard movie to talk about. It is a brilliant movie that kind of messes with you, you start to think it is a normal movie about a family, but then it hits you repeatedly with the horrifying facts. It may not be an easy watch or an easy movie to forget, but it could not be any easier for me to recommend. I will certainly check this out again when it is released for the home market!
It is so hard to talk about and put into words how this movie makes you feel uncomfortable. Watching these people tend to their garden, go about their daily lives, and play with their kids all the while some of the most horrific acts mankind has done are being committed next to their perfect home!
Director’s Vision
The Zone of Interest is brought to us by Jonathan Glazer who wrote and directed the movie. I have not read the book this is based on, but from what I understand he took the story of the book and put his own spin on it, but I cannot confirm that for sure. However, I can confirm he is a great director, to this day, Sexy Beast is my favorite British gangster movie!
