Jonathan Glazer makes a triumphant return to directing 10 years later, to paint a horrifying portrait of human complicity and the banality of evil, with The Zone of Interest, a film that lingered in my mind long after the credits rolled. The film follows Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hoss and his wife Hedwig as they strive to create a dream life for their family in a house just beside the camp.
Many might criticise the film, describing it as monotonous, boring and slow-paced, but that is exactly Glazer's message - the monotony and normality of a heinous job. The Hoss family go about their daily chores in their house and garden, indifferent to the screams of suffering and agony coming from mere feet away.
What's even more impressive about The Zone of Interest is that all the horror is implied, never explicitly shown - at no point does the film vilify Hoss nor does it directly showcase any graphic imagery. The horrifying images and sounds of slaughter are reduced to mere background elements, presented with immaculate cinematography and sound design.
The Zone of Interest is an immensely disturbing watch, but also a necessary one. It isn't for everyone, and is not expected to break any box office records, but for cinema lovers, it is an essential entry for your watchlist.
Many might criticise the film, describing it as monotonous, boring and slow-paced, but that is exactly Glazer's message - the monotony and normality of a heinous job. The Hoss family go about their daily chores in their house and garden, indifferent to the screams of suffering and agony coming from mere feet away.
What's even more impressive about The Zone of Interest is that all the horror is implied, never explicitly shown - at no point does the film vilify Hoss nor does it directly showcase any graphic imagery. The horrifying images and sounds of slaughter are reduced to mere background elements, presented with immaculate cinematography and sound design.
The Zone of Interest is an immensely disturbing watch, but also a necessary one. It isn't for everyone, and is not expected to break any box office records, but for cinema lovers, it is an essential entry for your watchlist.