Watched this at its premiere in Cannes without any expectations whatsoever. The premise looks interesting: the head of Auschwitz lives a very paradoxically normal life with his family just behind the wall that separates them from the camp. So normal that it's filled with endless scenes of them eating, brushing their teeth, kids playing, parents reading, even sleeping while nothing else happens. Just as exciting as life in the 40's. And... that's it ! Once in a while, you can barely hear an execution or a scream on the other side of the wall while the family hardly notices at all. What is happening then is left to the viewer's imagination. Throw in some experimental, ominous and unfitting electronic music and occasional uninspired video art gimmicks and you've got a movie. There were enough ideas for a 5mn short film but it looks like the director tried his hardest to extend it into a full-length feature by all means. That was definitely not necessary. He even seemed to notice something else HAD to happen so he found something to spike this giant snoozefest a little bit: Will the husband accept to be mutated somewhere else with a higher rank ? His wife doesn't want him to, she's happy with her family life, while he's hesitant and hopes to convince the kommandantur that he can stay where they are. Big suspense. Not. Because nobody cares.
This is not a difficult film to watch because of its supposed tension (there is hardly any despite all the efforts - just go spend a weekend in the German or Austrian countryside and you'll feel just the same) but because it's unbelievably boring, uneventful and empty with shockingly stale dialogue (when there is any). Glazer is no Hitchcock, Bergman or Argento. The raving reviews can only come from people who will praise anything related to the horrors of the Holocaust. This film has nothing.
This is not a difficult film to watch because of its supposed tension (there is hardly any despite all the efforts - just go spend a weekend in the German or Austrian countryside and you'll feel just the same) but because it's unbelievably boring, uneventful and empty with shockingly stale dialogue (when there is any). Glazer is no Hitchcock, Bergman or Argento. The raving reviews can only come from people who will praise anything related to the horrors of the Holocaust. This film has nothing.