The Zone of Interest is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Jonathan Glazer's 2023 Holocaust drama has been hailed by fans and critics alike as a 'masterpiece' and the most important film of its genre.
Based on Martin Amis's novel of the same name, the film offers a unique Nazi drama told from the perpetrator's viewpoint. It follows Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, played by Christian Friedel, and his wife Hedwig, played by Sandra Hüller, as they try to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the concentration camp.
The chilling film features little dialogue, and its storytelling is praised for being conveyed mainly through sound. The dispassionate mid and wide shots never show the viewer beyond the wall that separates the garden from the camp.
Oscars and critical acclaim
The Zone of Interest won two Oscars, for Best International Feature and Best Sound. It holds a near-perfect 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: "Dispassionately examining the ordinary existence of people complicit in horrific crimes, The Zone of Interest forces us to take a cold look at the mundanity behind an unforgivable brutality."
One critic said: "An uncompromising and chilling vision of evil unlike any other film about Nazism." Another critic wrote: "The Zone of Interest is a brilliantly conceived, disturbingly disjointed film and it will stay with you long after it's done."
Audience reaction
One audience reviewer said: "The Zone of Interest is an incredibly powerful film that stays in your head for a long time. It touches on the subject of the Holocaust in a subtle but very shocking way, showing the brutality of those times from the perspective of ordinary people. The film is slow, but that only enhances its atmosphere - there are no cheap effects here; everything is built on tension and emotions. The acting is top-notch, and the whole thing is really moving."
On Reddit, a user started a thread titled "Why the Zone of Interest is a more important Second World War film than Oppenheimer." Another user commented: "I thought that this film was a masterpiece. I went in with no expectations and frankly thought it would be horrible. The best film of 2023 in my opinion."
Where to watch
The Zone of Interest is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
