Overall Rating Awesome: 47.06% Worth A Look: 41.18% Average: 2.94% Pretty Bad: 8.82% Total Crap: 0% 3 reviews, 16 user ratings

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War Zone, The

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by Greg Muskewitz

"It leaves you mostly silent,somewhat from subject matter and also ambiguity"

"The War Zone" is apposite to the sub-genre of incestual films. Like the majority of these types of films, the mood of the viewing is not necessarily that of comfortable.

Actor Tim Roth takes a turn as director for "The War Zone," and he approaches it very much in the fashion of Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan: a quiet and subtle approach. But whereas Roth displays a strength in the subject matter he's working with, he doesn't display the control that Egoyan exhibits by putting a spell over his audience. Instead, there's always an acute awareness of all the inner workings. Roth is not strong enough to properly go about the material (adapted from his own novel by Alexander Stuart), and its overall presentation is not a strategic reverie. Just a reticent outcry. Incest is a serious issue, and it is not usually correctly handled on screen, as seen with the awful 1981 version of "Butterfly" (directed by Matt Cimber, with the Golden Globe-bought performance of Pia Zadora). Nothing has the wrenching effect that this taboo should have, ergo losing the possible provocation, but is instead reaffirmed by the haunting performance of Lara Belmont. Belmont's muliebritic and calm approach is very much like that of Sarah Polley's. Beyond the effortless pulchritude of Belmont, her sedate embodiment is apt to giving "The War Zone" a reason to propel. Seamus McGarvey's camera is in love with her fair, pale skin and sanguine cheeks, and the perfect, crisp images --interior and exterior-- complete "The War Zone" with its hushed, hidden and secluded perception. Another benefit to the unfaked awkwardness was the casting of Freddie Cunliffe as Belmont's younger brother, who discovers the relationship between her and their father. The seemingly naivete and realisticness as a person adds to the uneasy atmosphere.

Final Verdict: B-.

link directly to this review at http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=3422&reviewer=172
originally posted: 12/10/00 15:54:20

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User Comments

11/18/04 Carly Austin After viewing over two years ago...it still comes to mind when I thiink of great film. 5 stars

5/11/04 amir. m war zone is an absolutely flat mirror of life 5 stars

4/01/03 Jack Sommersby A brave, probing, insightful family drama that will leave you spellbound. 4 stars

7/15/01 Suzz Even given the subject matter, this is a dreary little film full of brooding looks and rain 2 stars

7/07/01 Alan Keys Not worth seeing unless you, sadly, can personally relate to it. Choose another movie. 3 stars

1/22/01 The Bomb 69 incest is the best put your daughter to the test!!! 5 stars

12/23/00 Kook People should really take their kids to see this film. Painful, but leaves an impression. 5 stars

12/11/00 da shit near-perfect 5 stars

8/29/00 Edgar Poe A masterpiece (U.S. sucks) 5 stars

8/08/00 andymase A real masterpiece of acting and directing. 5 stars

7/07/00 matthew smith impossible to forget 5 stars

6/29/00 Bokonan At times extremely confronting, very well made, brilliantly acted - worth seeing 5 stars

6/17/00 Belinda Tim Roth thinks he has a hit with this one...NOOOOOOTTTT !!! 2 stars

5/27/00 Jaime N. Christley Tough subject matter betrayed by shallow approach and agonizing overlength. Great acting. 2 stars

1/25/00 PervertedPixie Ouch! This is painful viewing. But Roth directs beautifully, with sensational performances. 5 stars

12/19/99 Mr Showbiz Broodingly, stuninngly realistic portrait of a familial self-destruction. 4 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
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USA 10-Dec-1999 (R) UK N/A Australia 15-Jun-2000

Directed by Tim Roth Written by Alexander Stuart Cast Ray Winstone Kate Ashfield Freddie Cunliffe Lara Belmont Aisling O'Sullivan Colin Farrell

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