Few people saw The War Zone when it opened in theaters — the subject matter and its graphic portrayal kept all but the most resolute viewers from opening their minds and hearts to its uncompromising depictions of abuse and manipulation. Now that the film is available for home viewing, a wider audience can perhaps brave its unveiled human ugliness. In the short "making of" featurette on this disc, Roth indicates that he'd find the film a success if but one abuser were to see it and recognize what damage he or she had done, but in all likelihood The War Zone preaches to the converted. Only those willing to acknowledge and comprehend the insidiousness of parental violation will see the film, making it unlikely that those the director seems most concerned about would ever do so.

Although War Zone is undeniably a "message film" meant to raise awareness about the nature of incest, it is also a rewarding and heartbreaking cinematic experience which never becomes sensational — or worse, titillating. This is primarily due to Roth's delicate treatment of the story and his cast's universally naturalistic and commanding performances. Debuting teens Lara Belmont and Freddie Cunliffe carry their first big-screen outing with astonishing presence and skill. As 15-year-old Tom, Cunliffe melds the dependence of a younger child and the awkwardness of a maturing adolescent with the defiant protectiveness of a brother for his sister. And Belmont, as his violated, 17-year-old sibling, Jessie, works the full range of a victim's emotions and behaviors, from daughterly obedience and childlike sobbing to calculated provocation and tragic self-abuse. Few actors could pull off a performance with as many nuances, and both "children" do so at world-class levels.

Heading the family, as Mum and Dad, are Orlando's Tilda Swinton — who had just given birth to twins before filming, giving her postpartum character an authenticity rarely captured on camera — and Ray Winstone, best known for his appearance in Gary Oldman's equally challenging directorial debut Nil by Mouth. The actors are completely in tune with each other and their cinematic children, enacting moments of tenderness and discipline that make this on-screen family believable — and the truth about their hidden relationships all the more devastating.

Simple Features
Showy extras wouldn't be an applicable — or even appropriate — accompaniment to a film as unflinching and realistic as this, particularly given the relatively stark look of the film. But despite the omission of DVD basics like alternate language tracks and English subtitling, the simplicity and fearlessness with which the director and cast handle such difficult material make this disturbing Zone well worth entering.

The main feature on this disc is Roth's thoughtful and respectfully subdued commentary. The director finds the right, quiet level of participation, elaborating primarily on the acting, cinematography, and behind-the-scenes relationships, and providing a great deal of production information. Especially during the film's most difficult moments, Roth's words offer the comforting assurance that the actors and crew maintained an environment of trust. Though The War Zone is sometimes extremely difficult to watch, a second viewing with the director's commentary soothes the shock of that initial experience. Additional video extras include a seven-minute featurette and the theatrical trailer.

Roth's considerable utilization of the anamorphic frame makes DVD the only way to appreciate this film at home. The director employs the full horizon line for both expansive landscapes and intimate interiors. By keeping the camera relatively still indoors, he allows the actors to move naturally within their environment, furthering the feeling that this home environment is real. And, as noted in the commentary, his use of open spaces allows the audience some peace amid the otherwise devastating developments. The anamorphic transfer appears clean, but the omnipresent mists, gray-green palette, and darkened farmhouse rooms — while beautiful in their bleakness — lend atmosphere, not clarity, to the film's visual quality.

The remaining features offered in this edition include very brief, text-based cast and crew profiles — ranging from a single screen for the newcomers to five frames for Roth — and a four-part "About the Production" section, which gives some written background on the novel and author, as well as the casting, process and "look" of the film. None of these additions are lengthy or especially deep, but as there's little information to be had about The War Zone elsewhere, they do offer some basic background information. The DVD liner indicates that Web links are also available, however I was unable to locate any upon exhaustive examination of this disc.

Supporting the purpose of generating awareness, this DVD features a six-part "Help and Information Guide," which goes into some detail about how to aid minors in domestic abuse situations, what victims experience, and where individuals can find assistance, both via telephone and on the Web. This section offers over 30 "pages" of information, most of it provided for those who might need help themselves. Were this DVD handled with less care, its didactic agenda might have overwhelmed the film itself, but this level of commitment supports the filmmakers' intentions without diminishing their creative impact.

Roth accurately characterizes The War Zone as "deeply, deeply sad." Yet although unyielding sorrow permeates this complex, sensitive, and horrifying family portrait, somehow the film never succumbs to hopelessness — even Simon Boswell's haunting score has moments of unfitting cheerfulness. At the end of his commentary, the director adds that this film was made for his deceased father, who was an abuse survivor. If War Zone's conclusion leaves many unanswered questions about the future of its characters, the creation of the film itself for the elder Roth represents the most hopeful of possible outcomes for any family dealing with internal violence — closure.