John Haunting movie, with a subject that will have you cringing, or crying. Wonderfully cast, great setting, and the background music fits like another cast member.

bruce-129 I wonder who votes for this sick stuff on IMDb ... I think many movies just have either fake votes for them, or the only people who see them are just weird or perverted.In the case of the "War Zone" this is supposed to be a serious dramatic look at incest and how painful it is ... such a sensitive look, with porno camera angles, and magnificently filmed scenes, and music, and of course to make it resolve, the evil abuser father is killed by the righteous son, meanwhile the audience has to watch all manner of sick sex.Face it, this movie is nothing but a surreptitious look at forbidden sex put right up on the silver screen with airs of self-righteousness. Tim Roth is one sick puppy to think he is doing anything but making it easier to show sicko sex, abuse and porn in the movies and purveying smut to the ticket buying public.That this piece of garbage would be a 7+ is a joke.I mean ... I don't know anyone who has been sexually abused, but I sure cannot imagine these people living in such a nice clean home, living such a normal life, with no sign of it to anyone. Read about this stuff and the signs are all over the place.Not to mention the sex scenes and the father raping his daughter and the daughter says nothing, I mean, how did this happen, and then it is all just fine because the son finds out and murders his father.Nothing is shown, nothing is taught, nothing is resolved, no character arc, no real background, nothing to get in the way of one low piece of garbage that someone took on just to get past the censors by pretense that it had something to do with something useful or socially responsible.Ha ... some joke. The people associated with his movie might learn something about abuse if they were put away in prison like they should be and had to endure a bit of it ... then their next movie might not be so seductively filmed.

rowmorg There's a fascinating contrast in The War Zone between the drab, down-at-heel existence of a post-modern British "nuclear family" and the huge force of the wrong that is being done beneath the surface. Life in the lonely farmhouse on a Devon clifftop is so shabby and downbeat it resembles a documentary. Nothing much happens, people drift about, mumbling at each other --- until something brutally does: a horrifying car-crash that triggers the action. It's impossible to examine and celebrate the action without spoiling the film (although it's bad enough that its subject is blazoned over most comments even though they do not announce spoilers; strictly speaking they should be removed and all the commentators blocked). Suffice to say that the theme is eternal and earth-shattering, wielding the power of an Oedipus Rex, the ancient Greek drama. The opening calm by the end has become a scene of utter ruination, with lives blown to pieces. In between, the phlegmatic English characters, ex-Londoners to boot, worn down by urban alienation, gradually come to grips with the primal situation they are in. It unleashes moments of awesome dramatic power that raise this picture to the level of Sophocles and Aeschylus. Hats off to Tim Roth for creating this tour de force, which packs more power into a few underpaid and under-financed minutes than any fat Hollywood blockbuster. It's an incredibly provocative examination of the core of human society that will set you and your fellow viewers thinking and talking into the night. Don't miss this rough gem!

Varun B. THE WAR ZONE is as compelling and powerful as it is disturbing and sickening. This motion picture is not for everyone, but those who manage to sit through its ~95 minute run-time will feel like they have experienced an almost unrivaled cinematic journey.I will not give away the plot/synopsis here for the benefit of those who would like to be surprised. Just know that while the film itself is not about 'War' in the conventional sense, the title is appropriate, if one realises that War can also be defined as active hostility or contention; conflict; struggle.Tim Roth is masterful in his debut as director, as he ably pushes the envelope to limits that veteran film-makers seem fearsome to approach. Roth is helped by an outstanding lead cast, half of whom are virtual unknowns. Ray Winstone and Tilda Swinton are reliable and dedicated as always, and should have garnered some more recognised plaudits for their roles. For me, the real star of this film is newcomer Lara Belmont, who delivers a stunning performance, encompassing and portraying a range of powerful emotions that will leave most veteran actresses somewhat jealous. If this film deserved only one Oscar nomination, it should have been for Supporting Actress (If it deserved two, the other should have been for Screenplay). Suffice it to say that due to its powerfully realistic approach to sensitive content, the Academy seemed to 'graciously' shun this film. I myself was not surprised, as mainstream success would have come hand-in-hand with widespread protestations.The location (shot almost entirely in Devon, England) is suitably haunting, as is the musical score. Both go long ways to emphasising and enhancing the overall theme of the motion picture. In almost every outdoor shot, the weather is bleak and rainy, which suits the atmosphere inside the house, and inside the infamous bunker. The scenic shots of the beach are especially beautiful.I say that this is one of the best films you will NEVER see because it was doomed to fail at the box office, due to its subject matter. It is very unlikely that any Cable company will show this during prime-time either. As such, your best bet will be to visit the local DVD video-store. I strongly urge you to use whatever means to see this motion picture. You will be shocked; your jaw will drop for most of the last half of the film; you will feel sickened, angry, and saddened; you will be sporadically moved to tears even long after you have left your seat. But at the end of this experience you will come to accept that you have witnessed one of the most powerful events in cinematic history. This will haunt you for some time to come.I will give this movie 4 stars (out of the conventional 4) simply because I think everyone should see it. It focuses on one of the most taboo and commonplace themes in modern families (note that statistics do very little to highlight the common nature of this theme since most of the victims remain silent) and should not be bypassed, even if it takes you more than one sitting to get through.10/10. Should enter my Top 60 at #55 or so. Unreservedly recommended.