Cheap The War Zone (DVD) (Ray Winstone) (Tim Roth) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of The War Zone

With the help of cinematographer Seamus Mc Garvey, Roth takes an art house approach to story telling, with masterfully bleak cinematography and inspired use of the camera. Especially effective is his use of silence, increasing the discomforting tone of the entire film. His unabashed presentation of the stark depravity and the raw emotion wields the impact of a cold slap in the face, simultaneously stinging and holding our undivided attention.

The character study of Jessie (Lara Belmont) and Tom (Freddie Cunliffe) is excellent, but leaves one of the most important questions nebulous. Roth flirts with the siblings' incestuous desire for one another, but leaves it implied, which I thought was inconsistent with his otherwise forthright style of storytelling. Was Tom motivated by love for his sister or by jealousy of his father's sexual competition? Was he his sister's protector or his father's rival? Both elements seem to be there, but Roth doesn't clarify. Although I have not read Alexander Stuart's book (upon which the screenplay is based), I understand that Tom's sexual jealousy was an important part of the story, so I don't understand why Roth danced around it. The story also could have benefited by a closer look into Jessie's feelings about her father. Was it strictly revulsion for repeated violations, or was she a willing participant? Again, both seem to be present, but we never really know. Moreover, the final scene fails to bring closure to the film, a closure that the viewer desperately needs after being juiced in an emotional blender. Yet, even with these unresolved issues, this is exceptional work for a first time director (or any director for that matter).

The acting is phenomenal, especially when one considers that this is the film debut for both Belmont and Cunliffe. Lara Belmont presents a young woman being torn asunder by an emotional tornado, trying to appear as if nothing is amiss especially in front of her mother. Belmont's performance is provocative and gut wrenching. Freddie Cunliffe captures the desperation of Tom's dilemma with a sullen rage that emanates from his placid exterior. Given their ages and experience, both actors give unbelievably mature performances, again a tribute to Roth's directorial ability.

This dark and unsettling film is skillfully directed and compellingly acted. I rated it a 9/10. It requires a courageous and intelligent viewer with a thick skin. It is decidedly not for the viewer who is put off by frank depictions of sex and incest. For the rest, prepare to be deeply affected.

Hard to find, hard to watch
This film is hard to find in that
your local Blockbuster will hesitate
to carry a movie with such a difficult
subject matter. Essentially, we see
the sexual abuse of a teenage girl
through the eyes of her brother.
Everything about this movie is
bold, the actors take great emotional
and physical risks as does the director.
Scenes are not blasted through with music,
he allows the nakedness of the situation
to hit you as it would the praticipants
in the film. Ray Winstone and Tilda Swinton
let it all hang out(literally) in very
unflattering scenes. Such a willingness
to sacrifice personal dignity is hard to come
by in American cinema. As a recent example
though, Halle Barry performed admirably in
Monster's Ball- so not all is lost.
If you have been sexually abused in your
life you might want to avoid this film and
stick to therapy though. Proper treatment
of wounds does not always necessitate
reopening them.
And Congratualations for Tim Roth as
director. I hope he ignores the paltry
box office receipts and dares to bring us more.

The film that should not exist. But it does.
This is a very sad film. Why are people so cruel to each other? Why is there so much trouble in the world? Why do parents do this unforgivable sin to their own children who they claim to love? I wish to say that this film should not have a reason to exist. But it does. It shows us the effects of incest, and it's a devastating unforgettable experience.