The Zone of Interest

⭐ 8.5/10

(Originally written by Beans)

This is a seemingly mundane German movie about the lives and goings on about a family whose father and husband is the commander of Auschwitz. The house shares a fence with the camp, yet there’s no showing of violence or gore, and the only atrocities we become aware of is smoke coming out of stacks and yelling and shooting.

This movie was gripping and jarring yet very unassuming. I was engrossed the whole time but not because it was super interesting, rather because of the implications of the characters on screen and they’re actions - or rather, non-actions.

Some of the visual choices felt really creative. The screen fading to a just a solid colour we stare at for a few seconds too long. The scraping music. A few flash forwards to present day. Again, this movie wasn’t not interesting, it just meant more because of what was going on around them.

I think the most compelling thing about this movie was that it is a direct mirror to current life. I’ve always thought that we would ask ourselves where we were when so many wars around the world broke out and innocents were killed. Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Myanmar, Congo, Palestine; the list could unfortunately go on for a long time. What did I do to help people? What did I expect of people to help the Jews during this genocide? I don’t like to think about it but this movie forces it upon you.

MLK used to say that the worst person to help the cause of black liberation was the white moderate. And I can’t help but think that applies here. I’m just living my life, not pro or against any cause really, and yet people like me are probably the biggest cowards when it comes to doing something that makes a real difference in these situations. Not a comfortable movie but a worthwhile one.