Movie review
December 15, 2023 · 105 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Zone of Interest is a 2023 historical drama that follows Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig as they build an ordinary family life in a house directly next to the camp. The film keeps the horrors off-screen, relying on sound design and the contrast of domestic routines to convey the setting. It presents a stark, understated portrait of perpetrator normalcy in a historical context.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Zone of Interest.
Woke representation / casting
Historical casting fits the German setting and characters with no forced diversity or mismatches.
Woke political dialogue
No activist or modern political dialogue.
Identity-driven story themes
Story is a historical examination of perpetrator normalcy, not driven by identity or representation.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Historical portrayal of Nazi family complicity; does not reframe into modern activist messaging about current identity politics, patriarchy, or similar.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Production
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No backlash claiming the title pushes forced identity politics or leftist propaganda.
Creator track record context
No relevant prior work is cited.
