Writer/Director: Jonathan Glazer
Starring: Sandra Huller, Christian Friedel
‘Powerful Drama’
The Holocaust is a sensitive subject rarely depicted in movies with respect. 80 years after Hitler’s downfall, it’s proven hard to portray a genocide that’s painful to recall. It’s not easy to do justice to true stories of Jewish musicians which survived WWII. Movies seldom honor lists which rescued Jews from atrocities. On a personal level, I witnessed the impact of genocide on a Jewish professor. Years ago, I was taught by a teacher whose parents died in a ghetto. During college, I attended classes organized by a professor with Holocaust knowledge. An inspirational professor, he was dedicated to teaching students about genocide in which life wasn’t beautiful. Being Jewish, he came to cherish teaching students about genocide causing lives to perish. My professor took pride educating students about genocide where people died. Students were excited to come and see lectures about history. Due to his identity, he was critical of movies about atrocities. He would complain that movies purely intended to entertain could never capture genocide pain. Movies were an art that couldn’t capture genocides which tore lives apart. A light in darkness, my teacher gave me awareness of hardships Jews witness. If it had not been for my teacher, I wouldn’t have developed keen interest in genocides occurring after 1917. Looking back in nostalgia, I value a professor that taught me about the Shoah. Years later, I treasure a teacher passing lessons about genocide disaster.
Now, Jonathan Glazer takes interests depicting the war zone in his Oscar-winning film “The Zone of Interest”. Ambitious, harrowing and thought-provoking, it demonstrates heartbreaking realities of genocide in which several Jews died. Glazer encapsulates genocide disaster that transformed the world forever. Boasting immersive sound-design, meaningful storytelling and phenomenal performances, it’s a powerful historical drama. Although “The Zone of Interest” is unforgettable, it isn’t flawless. It builds ambiguous conclusions without resolution. Nevertheless, it provides enlightening entertainment pleasing fans of historical dramas.
Amidst Nazi Germany, “The Zone of Interest” follows a German family taking interest in mass murder catastrophes. Sandra Huller embodies Hedwig Hoss, the matriarch of a German family living luxurious lifestyles. Assisted by Nazi husband Rudolph (Christian Friedel), Hedwig builds idyllic homes for her family removed from atrocities. However, Hedwig’s dreams disintegrate when her husband is ordered to relocate. Unable to hide, Hedwig is forced to confront genocide.
Jonathan Glazer is fascinated with mass murder. His film “Under the Skin” got under the skin of viewers by depicting an alien’s murders. With “The Zone of Interest”, however, Glazer crafts a historical drama. It’s the filmmaker’s attempt capturing genocide disaster changing history forever, but he succeeds. Through spellbinding cinematography, Glazer captures a German family experiencing genocide tragedy. Evoking Oliver Hirschbiegel’s “Downfall”, the filmmaker uses Holocaust locations capturing a German family’s downfall. Glazer’s decisions shooting the film in Auschwitz is risky but works. Real-life Auschwitz locations lend authenticity to the movie, making viewers feel they are seeing documentaries. It brought back memories of my teacher recounting parents’ experiences in Auschwitz facing atrocities. Alongside cinematographer Lukasz Zal, Glazer demonstrates genocide disaster. Glazer commemorates the Holocaust, constructing theatrical viewing.
If mass murders don’t attract you to theaters, however, there’s reasons to see “The Zone of Interest”. Accompanied by sound-designer Johnnie Burn, Glazer uses diegetic sounds to capture warfare. Whether its bombs exploding or women screaming, sounds capture genocide. For instance, sounds elevate the mother meeting scene. During this harrowing scene, Hedwig converses with her mother in paradise homes ignoring killings. One appreciates sounds recalling Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist”. It reminded me of my teacher recounting his parents experiencing bombs that exploded. Diegetic sounds are tricky. As Sam Mendes’ “1917” suggested, sounds elevate WWI movies. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” claimed sounds elevate biopics. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Moreover, music is magnificent. Evoking Roberto Benigni’s “Life is Beautiful”, it captures genocide where life wasn’t beautiful. Through production-design, Grazer demonstrates disaster.
Another extraordinary aspect of “The Zone of Interest” is storytelling. Glazer’s screenwriting strength is capturing the negative impact of genocide on German soldiers through symbolism. In Hollywood, movies frequently portray German soldiers as Nazis without humanity. As a case in point: Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds” depicted Nazis as inglorious villains destined to die in genocides that are dangerous. Fortunately, however, “The Zone of Interest” avoids pitfalls. Celebrating Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”, Glazer uses symbolism to demonstrate influence of genocides on German soldiers. Like girls wearing red coat attire, the camp walls symbolize the Hoss family’s ignorance of genocide disaster that’s dire. It reminded me of my teacher’s criticisms regarding Nazis in Holocaust movies portrayed as villains infrequently true to history. Symbolism is complicated. Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” suggested symbolism elevates comedic satires capturing Nazi Germany. As Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” demonstrated clearly, symbolism enhances slavery movies. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Through a spectacular screenplay, Glazer commemorates genocides today.
One admires astonishing performances.
Sandra Huller delivers a career-defining performance as Hedwig. Huller achieved appreciation portraying women facing downfall in Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall”. With “The Zone of Interest”, however, Huller embodies her most interesting character. It’s challenging embodying a woman facing genocide tragedy, but Huller succeeds. Evoking Vera Farmiga in Mark Herman’s “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”, Huller embodies a woman finding joy in luxurious lifestyles at cost of lives Nazis destroy. With riveting expressions, she captures angst, grief and resentment of a German woman. It’s a magnificent performance.
The supporting cast is sensational, building powerful bonds. Christian Friedel is captivating, capturing acknowledgements of a Nazi officer struggling to juggle duties of raising family with genocide tragedies. Imogen Kogge is incredible, capturing a mother disapproving of genocide disaster. Last, Luis Noah Witte demonstrates acknowledgements. As the son, he’s heartbreaking.
Finally, “The Zone of Interest” deserves appreciation for capturing trauma of the Shoah. Evoking Claude Lanzmann’s “Shoah”, the film captures the dilemma German soldiers faced in the Shoah. It tackles universal themes including family, genocide and trauma. Viewers aren’t required to be familiar with history to appreciate the movie. It delivers a universal message which would engage everyone impacted by trauma at an early age. Therefore, “The Zone of Interest” maintains everyone’s interest.
Despite its universal message, however, “The Zone of Interest” can’t do justice towards genocide that caused immense damage. If there’s a shortcoming towards the movie, it lacks a compelling ending. Glazer’s decisions to end the movie with flash-forwards to present-day Germany is provocative but doesn’t succeed. It’s an ambiguous conclusion without clear resolution. Whereas this ending elevated Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”, it clashes with this movie. As Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” suggested, flash-forwards elevate Vietnam War movies. Therefore, “The Zone of Interest” falters
Nevertheless, fans of history dramas will recognize “The Zone of Interest” and so will audiences giving acknowledgements to the Holocaust. A powerful historical drama, it captures painful genocides in which life was scarcely beautiful. Nearly 80 years following depressing destruction of a war zone in which many Jews seeking acknowledgements felt alone, it could incite individuals to confront painful tragedy in which interests in institutionalizations has grown.
A devastating depiction of a dire genocide that caused lives to fall apart leading to Hitler’s downfall, it’s a dark reminder of a tragedy painful to recall having an impact on the world that was humongous rather than small.
Like precious melodies played on piano by Jewish pianists that miraculously survive the ghetto, it’s a powerful reminder of painful genocide causing Jewish families to experience sorrow years ago.
If movies can honor lives of Jews rarely saved by lists from genocide atrocities, hopefully it will incite newfound interest in a mass genocide that’s often been forgotten in the pages of history.
As strong as Hedwig’s participations in the Holocaust, it has inspired me to honor a professor that cast spells on students passing on precious lessons by vast knowledge about the past with whom I share powerful bonds that would forever last.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 