That was a hard watch. One of the bleakest, grimiest, dirty films I've watched in a long time. And not one which I'll watch again in a hurry. But it does have a pay off, and the performances, especially Lara Belmont (Jessie) are very credible.

The War Zone: a Masterpiece (the movie and the book). This movie is a Must see... especially if you lived similar situations... Movie made from Alexander Stuart's novel (check the 20th anniversary edition of the book...bonus: diary of the making of + afterword by TR). The last image of the movie represents perfectly the abuses in the society... like the bunker in the landscape..if we turn a bit the head/eyes we see them... Abuses can happen in any family, rich or poor or middle class, and to any gender girls but also boys... http://tinyurl.com/c8jw95The WZ is a precious brick in our (Survivors) rebuilding. it can be very hard to watch for many people but the movie and the novel describe what some live daily behind the walls. My life wont have been the same without The War Zone. Grateful daily and forever to and for The WZ.To discuss about The War Zone: The War Zone Message Board ( more than 10 years of existence) https://www.voy.com/243297/

I know that incest and sexual abuse within families is a MAJOR problem, seemingly in all societies. And I believe it could be a good or meaningful topic for a movie.... but this is not it. This film is so uniquely, surrealistically dismal and disgusting in the events portrayed, that it became more about how it was shown and could it be shockingly, relentlessly depressing, not a credible depiction of the way this problem exists within families. Therefore, it became exploitive of this issue rather than meaningful.Besides the issue of the molesting father, we get a gratuitous, shocking car crash... relevance to the story: zip! We get all sorts of female nudity around the house, including long shots of the teenage daughter's breasts while in discussion. Relevance: zip! Including the silly concept of a girl sleeping naked under a single blanket in an old house in England's winter...why? Just so the blanket could be shockingly pulled away, of course. Add to all this the Euro style of filming where tight shots linger on barely lit sad faces for silent minutes at a time. It was like the director just wanted to practice everything you might do in a Eurotrash horror movie, but give it a topic that might propel him into the realm of "meaningful". I'm not buying it. And WARNING: Do NOT bring this home for the family thinking you are going to see something enlightening about normal family issues. This is a rough, ugly, sad ride thru some real prurient exploitation.

Tim Roth is an excellent actor. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a variety of personas, taking on roles that are both challenging and intense. It is apparent that, as a director, he has the same talent. Tim Roth's first and only directorial effort to date, The War Zone, is a haunting picture of family. Featuring perfect acting, intense scenes, and an overall atmospheric darkness that coincides with the main themes, The War Zone is an excellent film. It is also one of the most difficult movies I've ever had the opportunity to watch.The film opens with Tom (played by Freddie Cunliffe), a teenage boy who is angry with his family for moving away from the city and into Middle of Nowhere, England. He misses London and he's not getting attention from his family because of his mother's (Tilda Swinton) pregnancy. Along with his mother, Tom lives with his father (Ray Winstone) and older sister, Jessie (Lara Belmont). Not long after the film begins, the mother's water breaks and the four of them make their way to the hospital. It is a dark, rainy night and, on the way, the father flips the car. Luckily, everyone is OK despite a few minor scrapes and bruises. Mum delivers the baby and the kids go home with Dad. The car accident is not mentioned again throughout the film, but it serves as a kind of foreshadowing of events to come. The normal schedule of life, interrupted by something startling, is the basis of this film.After Mum comes home and the baby settles into the home, things seem to go back to normal with this family. One day, however, Tom sees something disturbing. He and Mum and when they get back, Tom goes around to the side of the house and sees his father and sister in a position that looks a little too close for comfort. He confronts Jessie later, but she calls him a "perv" and says he didn't see what he thought he did. Tom is determined, though, and his search for the truth leads him to discovering the most horrible of family secrets and what unfolds is an emotional reckoning that no family should ever have to face.This is a devastating look into the degradation of a seemingly normal family and Tim Roth's direction shows that perfectly. Throughout the film, the entire atmosphere is dark and it is typically rainy. Even the beach, which is shown several times, looks like an unhappy place. The actors play each role to absolute perfection. Tilda Swinton is very good as the mother, a woman who is seemingly unaware of the terrible secret bubbling below the surface. Ray Winstone is terrifying as Dad, a father who seems very loving on the outside. On the inside, though, there is a monster waiting to attack. The two children are played by newcomers Lara Belmont and Freddie Cunliffe. Tim Roth has said in interviews that these two were selected because of their fresh faces, the fact that the audience would know them as their characters instead of actors. This is very effective. Lara Belmont is heartbreaking as Jessie, a teenage girl forced to put up certain walls. This is one of the best performances I've ever seen from an actress of that age group. Without her, this film would not be what it is. Freddie Cunliffe is excellent as Tom, the boy who discovers the truth about his family and must decide what to do with his newfound knowledge.The War Zone is consistently bleak and is often relentless. It shows abuse for what it is: an unnecessary evil that affects the lives of everyone involved. This film is never a happy story. It is free of clichés and makes for some difficult viewing. If a person can get past that, though, The War Zone is a rewarding film experience. Tim Roth has accomplished something great here. I can't wait to see him do something else in the future.9/10