A movie that touches on a topic that Hollywood has been fascinated with since the days of Hitler is “The Debt,” based on the Israeli movie “Ha-Hov.” The movie stars the talented Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds and breakout actress, Jessica Chastain.
Talented Actors/Mediocre Plot
You would think having a great cast would make for a great movie but “The Debt” struggles to find its place as it twists and turns through two different time periods.
In 1997 two ex-Mossad, Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephen (Tom Wilkinson), learn the truth of their former colleague when a book is published about what really happened in East Berlin in1965-1966. The book is written by Sarah, the daughter of Rachel and Stephen’s characters. The third agent on the team is David, portrayed by Ciaran Hinds. David seemingly disappeared for years until this day, when the book hit shelves. The book unfolds inconsistencies in regard to certain facts about the Mossad’s heroic take down of Vogel, specifically surrounding the young David.
1965-1966
Fast forward, rather go backward to where Rachel (Jessica Chastain), joined by young Stephen (Marton Csokas) and David (Sam Worthington), kidnaps Vogel, a Nazi war criminal played by Jesper Christensen, and brings him to Israel for trial. The scenes of the capture make for great film; unfortunately, the plot does not.
With six actors playing three characters at different ages, flashbacks and fancy editing are a must for this movie to work. The plot is actually intriguing but so much information squished into a two hour movie lends itself to some confusion and lack of clarity. The movie probably would have been better if it stayed in one tense.
Nazi War Criminal Movies
“The Debt” could have been a better movie. At the same time, it could have been worse. In comparison to other movies in the genre, “The Debt” is middle of the pack. The best Nazi war movie is Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” Tarantino is a genius storyteller and with the help of Brad Pitt and Eli Roth, they make this movie Tarantino’s best. Other great genre movies are 1978’s “The Boys from Brazil” and 1945’s “Cornered.” All three movies tackle the subject, for the most part, beautifully.
“The Boys from Brazil,” like “The Debt,” speeds through the plot with suspense, yet falls flat at the climax. What was nice about “The Boys from Brazil” is it adds a sense of ridiculousness that is unbelievable, much like “Inglourious Basterds” does. However, “Inglourious Basterds” is well written throughout.
“The Debt” Cast
Helen Mirren is one of the best actresses working in film. She won an Oscar for her role in “The Queen” and always delivers solid performances. Sam Worthington started off as a good actor but quickly became an A-lister when he appeared in the smash hits “Avatar” and the remake of “Clash of the Titans.” Tom Wilkinson starred in “Sense and Sensibility” and “The Full Monty,” bringing experience with him to “The Debt.” Jessica Chastain will be a big deal soon. Her appearances in “Jolene” and “The Tree of Life,” opposite Brat Pitt and Sean Penn, have propelled her into Hollywood stardom. Look for bigger roles in the future.
With such a great cast, “The Debt” should have been better. But this is not the first time a great cast has made a bad movie. The last time we saw this was with 2010’s “Valentine’s Day.”
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