7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.
Starring: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller, Ralph HerforthForeign | 100% |
Drama | 59% |
History | 6% |
War | 1% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
German: Dolby Atmos
German: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A lot has understandably been written about the so-called "horrors of war", but what about the sheer banality of war? If that "juxtaposition" isn't immediately arresting, a few minutes spent with The Zone of Interest should disabuse anyone who thinks there have to be gunfights, bridge explosions and hand to hand combat in order to make a visceral "war movie". The Zone of Interest is rather provocatively interesting at least as much for what it doesn't depict as for what makes it into the frame, and one of this film's unabashed triumphs is what might be called its "allusive" sound design, which repeatedly indicates horrors are happening very close by, even if they're really not overtly shown. While ostensibly an adaptation of a novel by Martin Amis, Jonathan Glazer's film streamlines Amis' narrative, but "narrative" may be something of a misnomer with this effort, since (to offer another alarming juxtaposition), kind of like what used to be said about Seinfeld, "nothing happens". Instead, there's a slow, steady accretion of "everyday" vignettes that just happen to include the fact that the setting of the story is the camp commandant's house at Auschwitz during World War II, a domicile that literally backs to the concentration camp and which is separated by a brick fence topped with barbed wire. If the family and their hangers on in the home can't actually see what's going on, that aforementioned soundtrack is "alive" with the sounds of death, including the nonstop roar of a furnace "disposing" of human remains.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from A24's The Zone
of Interest standalone 1080 release. Per A24's standard operating procedure, there is no 1080 disc in this package, and so the 2K
video score above has intentionally been left blank.
The Zone of Interest is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of A24 with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.78:1. Captured with Sony
CineAlta
cameras and finished at 4K, this is a beautifully detailed presentation that takes many of the strengths of A24's 1080 presentation and at least
marginally improves on things, though there are some intentional stylistic choices that simply need to be
accepted. The first of these is a somewhat tamped down, almost slate gray infused, palette, where everything seems just very slightly
desaturated, with a few notable exceptions like the stunning if brief shot of a bright red flower (the image adorns A24's cover art for the release).
Rather interestingly, HDR only tends to emphasize the coolness of so much of the imagery, and the gray tone may be ever so subtly tinged with slight
blue highlights in this version. Detail levels on costumes, props and general fabrics like upholstery or even wallpaper tends to be excellent, at least
when lighting regimens allow.
Several scenes are shot in either no or very low light, and there are brief passing moments where shadow detail is not especially revealing
even given the blandishments of HDR.
The infrared material is fascinating but to me anyway kind of stuck out like a sore thumb and actually disrupted the viewing experience for me (see
screenshot 3 for one example).
The Zone of Interest features a really impressive Dolby Atmos track that for virtually the entire length of the running time features simultaneous low frequency rumbling with nice overhead engagement of the Atmos speakers to detail what's going on with the furnaces behind the house. There are some moments removed from the camp, as in the opening streamside vignette, and those scenes also have nicely rendered ambient environmental effects that noticeably engage the side and rear channels. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available, but I was unable to turn off the English subtitles even after choosing "Subtitles Off" in the Subtitles Menu, which may somewhat humorously indicate that they're not optional.
There's absolutely no question that The Zone of Interest is a sui generis "war film", but in my estimation it would have been even more powerful with a bit more explanation about at least some of the character motivations, and without some of the kind of patently weird stylistic choices, like the infrared imagery. Technical merits are first rate and the supplements very interesting. Recommended.
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