Movie discovery

Explore stories across every screen

DramaYear1999Duration1h 38mIMDb7.2

The War Zone

DramaThriller

An alienated teenager, saddened that he has moved away from London, must find a way to deal with a dark family secret.

Trailer

Cast

Tim Roth

Director

Annabelle Apsion

Nurse

Kate Ashfield

Lucy

Lara Belmont

Jessie

Freddie Cunliffe

Tom

Colin Farrell

Nick

Aisling O'Sullivan

Carol

Tilda Swinton

Mum

MT

Megan Thorp

Baby Alice

Kim Wall

Barman

Ray Winstone

Dad

Alexander Stuart

Writer

Comments

7 Comments

Zion_asnake🤷‍♀️Jun 15, 2025

Strange, opaque and deeply unsettling, the War Zone is the only way a film about a topic as horrifying as incest should be. Tim Roth, realizing that the family of the film is too far gone to elicit much empathy from the audience, simply tries to convey the story as truthfully as possible. With crushing results. At the beginning of the film, we're introduced to a nameless clan: a genial father (Ray Winstone), a mother exhausted from recently giving birth (Tilda Swinton), a sullen teenage boy (Freddie Cunliffe), and his strikingly beautiful older sister (Lara Belmont). All four have recently moved from London to the remote, seaside village of Devon, leaving the two kids feeling isolated and adrift. What follows for the next hour or so is a brilliantly confusing experience--Roth presents a series of odd quirks about the family that makes the audience question what is merely eccentricity and what hints at something darker. Why, for example, does the family walk around naked most of the time? Don't those siblings seem slightly too "affectionate" given that they're teenagers? What exactly does the boy see his father doing with his sister in the bathroom that bothers him so? All of this mystery leads up to an absolutely harrowing scene which leaves no mystery as to the dynamic between father and daughter. More emotionally explicit than physically so, the scene is rightfully regarded as one of cinema's more horrible acts of on-screen violence, yet doesn't feel gratuitous in the slightest. This film is as sparse as possible, with almost no inflection or melodramatic effects. Scenes are generally shot in long takes with a static camera (gorgeously framed in widescreen). There is little excess dialogue, and almost no music. Often we are placed into the middle of confusing scenes that are open to numerous interpretations. We more or less have to come to our own conclusions about what is going on. The teenagers are as inexpressive and introspective as teenagers in real life, which makes there unexpected emotional outbursts all the more powerful. Why Roth hasn't made any other films is beyond me. He has a lean, cinematic sensibility which is unmatched by any other actor-director. I hope he gets an opportunity to use it again soon.

𝐾𝑖𝑑𝑎 𝐼𝑏𝑟𝑎ℎ𝑖𝑚✪May 29, 2023

source: The War Zone

AnnezawaNov 18, 2022

gertjohancoetzeeNov 16, 2022

The War Zone

user4043635168939Nov 16, 2022

I was expecting a better film than I saw. The acting is first rate, BUT the screenplay is muddled & incomplete.Tim Roth may be a great actor but his directorial skills are lacking. Apparently this story of incest was entirely different in the book than is shown here. If you were expect to be emotionally involved,You will be disappointed. The film just drags along & by the time the inconclusive ending occurs you may be falling asleep my rating is a low **1/2 as always Jay Harris

Robert LewandowskiNov 16, 2022

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.

AndyNov 16, 2022

I was warned so much in advance that I entered the cinema wearing a (virtual) bullet proof vest and was equipped with two packets of Kleenex. As the film ended, I found myself oddly desensitised. I felt like someone punched me in the stomach and I was left out of air, almost hollow. Roth, following his mate Gary Oldman, has chosen a courageous yet uncommercially viable issue to tackle in his directorial debut. Nevertheless, aided by gifted photographer, Seamus McGarvey, and inspired casting, Roth's film is a triumph. The stunning and clever location, the 'understatedness'/'Englishness' of the characters, the harrowing soundtrack, the unanswered plot threads, all make for a disturbing, horrifying, and unmissable film experience. Thumbs up for Tim Roth.

Featured Picks

Looking for more entertainment? Explore our recommended gaming hub and short-drama destination.

Instant Games

Gamixo

Play casual browser games with puzzles, cards, sports, and quick challenges ready in seconds.

Short Drama

VSKIT Drama

Watch trending mini-series, romance stories, and fresh short dramas with fast daily updates.