The Debt

Decent craftsmanship. Three Mossad agents vs. a Nazi war criminal. Madden build a convincing atmosphere on both sides of the time line and the actors don’t let him down. I enjoyed the younger members of the cast more, Jessica Chastain is a fox and on the same acting level as Helen Mirren, and even Sam Worthington rocks in Berlin (the scene with the plate). An excellent, nicely tight story with an unexpected, although rather strange ending. And Newman’s music is first rate. (27/11/2011)

Half of the film is a fascinating trip to the heart of darkness and half is the mechanical sweeping of the dry mud of history under a neat genre carpet. There’s something to Matty's interpretation; perhaps I would just add that the chemistry of the Mossad and Vogel agents is extremely functional and has spark. Unfortunately, only as long as they're all young. In 1997, all that remains of all this magic is a persistent and schematic thriller with an inadvertently comic ending that blocks out the beautiful vibration of East Berlin. In any case, madden killed Vogel through the scenes of "gynecological" interrogation and abduction that were over the line, not only by his standards, but also by genre standards. I've never seen more luxurious old school... well, since Munich. [70%] (28/10/2011)

A perfectly cast film with several surprising plot twists that never got boring. The plot was slow, but at the right moments there was always a livelier scene, and watching the performances of everyone involved, especially Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren, was a pleasure. The passage with the imprisoned Nazi, which was very chilling, and the good ending deserve your attention. (16/01/2013)

I don't know, I don't know, but based on what I have been able to see lately, I feel that the American thriller is in decline. Whether it's the films "Man on a Ledge," "Contraband," "Colombiana," or even "The Debt," none of them are groundbreaking. After "Man on a Ledge," I once again encounter Sam Worthington in a thriller, who - if nothing else - at least proves in this case that he still has some acting ability. Except for that terrible accent. The structure of the film is quite interesting as it takes place in two different time periods. One is the "present" (which is actually the year 1997) and the other is the year 1965, specifically in Berlin. In the older date, an event occurs that has consequences for the future. Excellent casting, however, does not guarantee the realization of potential. The same can be said for the screenplay, which, although it hints at interesting moments - especially the submarine emerging from long confinement in the apartment - ultimately only represents something incredibly long and boring. I have always felt that a thriller should be a suspenseful film, where you eagerly await what will happen next. But films like "Die Hard" are not made every day. The attempt to incorporate emotions and focus on human fates in "The Debt" did not work out. Instead of being thrilling, the film is boring. Therefore, it becomes tedious and ultimately uninteresting. The two different time periods actually dilute the story even more instead of helping it. This is really a shame because I had high expectations from the cast. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/08/jane-eyre-ekologicka-afrika-cislo.html (24/02/2013)

Apart from the unnecessarily and artificially escalated ending, it is essentially a meticulously crafted work of art that is atmospheric, excellently acted, and fantastically orchestrated. Those who enjoy dirty Germany, the theme of World War II, and the legendary German butchers will not be disappointed. Jesper Christensen is truly demonic in his role as the main villain. Above all, the dialogues with the Mossad agents are unforgettable. John Madden has always been somewhat soft, but this is a film that might make me start to respect him. It can be watched multiple times, which is quite rare for a film with such a theme. (07/01/2012)