Dir. Jonathan Glazer, starring Christian Friedel and Sandra Huller. 12A. Seen twice in cinemas.
Rating: 8.9/10
Seeing as I love watching (and teaching with) films, it's about time that I introduced a film review segment to the blog. So why not start with what I believe is one of the best films of the 2020s so far- The Zone of Interest?
The Zone of Interest was a film which somewhat crept up on me: I'd only heard about it a week or two before it was actually released in UK cinemas, once it was shortlisted for the 2023 Academy Awards. While I don't believe that the awards actually reflect much of the best filmmaking there is, they are still notable, and once I saw that it was nominated for Best International Picture I was intrigued.
Firstly, because it is directed by the English director Jonathan Glazer. Glazer is an incredibly original, daring and powerful director, and I am a fan of every film of his that I have seen. He hasn't actually made too many films himself, which is probably one of his best assets as a director; the films that he has made are big and ambitious projects, which scream quality over quantity. It is great to see this in a world where Marvel movies, TV shows and Netflix originals seem to be popping up here, there and everywhere- and if Marvel's latest release Madame Web has anything to suggest about the effectiveness of this quantitative strategy, let's say that it isn't exactly great. I would always rather watch an ambitious flop of a film than a middle of the running formulaic one. Even better is an ambitious and risky success of a film, which is what Glazer has managed to create here.
Glazer is also vastly original both through his style and subject matter; in Sexy Beast, he turns the tropes of the British gangster flick on their heads, raising questions about affection, loyalty, power and even gentrification. In Under the Skin- a film which is largely studied at A-level- he blends documentary and sci-fi with astounding effect, making us question human desire, manipulation and social alienation. He uses crystal clear images, bizarre sounds and slow pacing to great effect. Any film that provokes and makes me think about a really deeper issue is a film which I should like. For me, both of these tick that box- and The Zone of Interest did exactly the same thing.
Despite the fact that I was glad to see Glazer get some recognition, I had to ask myself "how can a film by an English director be truly considered international?". Well, this one certainly is, with an international cast and crew and a story that focuses on one of the world's worst tragedies. This tragedy- which you will likely know is the main focus (and the part that is very specifically left out of focus) in the film, can be critically and historically reviewed endlessly- but here, I will focus on the way that this story is told- and not shown- through the film's narrative; one of the best and most thought provoking I have ever seen on the big screen.
A first key method of 'telling' is through the film's sound design; a haunting cacophony of wails, distant shots, the puffing of a steam engine, trees swaying in the wind, harrowing choral music, deep, growling bass notes that almost sound like the oink of a massive pig. I can't do it justice in words, so this just needs to be experienced more than anything with good quality speakers or headphones.
The sound design of the film though, while a major factor, was not the only driving force of the film. Sticking to the production side of the film, the cinematography and editing is absolutely exquisite too. On my mantras page there is a quote from Martin Scorcese highlighting the point that film isn't just about what you see, but it is also about what you don't or aren't allowed to see- and this film shows you all you need to know, leaving it up to you to fill in the blanks, which is way more effective than any strictly focused cinematography could ever be. There is one particular shot in the film where we see its lead character- Rudolph Hess (played by Christian Friedel) is shown from a low angle, stood against a slate grey sky, where smoke and ash flickers overhead and screams louder than any other moment of the film engulf the scene. He does nothing but stare on and glance from side to side, a skull and crossbones patch adorning his collar like the 'Born to Kill' helmet on the poster of Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. It is vile, horrible, powerful.
The performances in the film are largely great too- in part thanks to Glazer's slow production of the film and indirect direction. Everyone in it feels like a fairly typical human being at times- bathing, having dinner as a family, swimming in a river, wandering around a garden. But when the cracks start to form and Rudolph and Hedwig (played by the outstanding Sandra Huller) begin to snap and break down, you truly see them for who they are; not just hideously oblivious and ignorant, but active commanders of the terrors of the film who know exactly what they are doing and what they are capable of. There is one line alone which sets Huller apart half way through the film that sent chills down my spine.
In some ways, the best part of the film is right at the end, when the credits roll and you're left there to dwell on it. Glazer says it himself far better than I ever could in a Guardian interview, stating: "For me, this is not a film about the past. It’s trying to be about now, and about us and our similarity to the perpetrators, not our similarity to the victims.” This isn't just a historical biopic churning out yet another take on a dark time in history; this is a warning of what is happening outside of the frame. Ukraine. Palestine. North Korea. Uighur Muslims in China. Even the U.K. to some extent. The sounds are getting eerily louder. The question is: will we listen, or will we continue to silently sweep up the ashes?
Comentários