Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsThomas Kretschmann is reason enough.....
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2011
I prefer docudramas, bio-pics, or whatever category this film falls into, to be dead on accurate and they seldom are. This is accurate enough and certainly more accurate than most. I have been reading about WW11 since I was a child.
My father was killed in that conflict, all of my relatives that were able fought in it, and my whole family was involved one way or the other. Aside from my personal involvement, WW11 is a fascinating and dreadful event in human history and one that people never seem to tire of finding intriging.
It is very difficult to find the absolute historical truth. Words, ideas, events, and stories can be slanted. So, if you are looking for absolute historical truth, read all the books, manuscripts, historical documents, watch the documentaries, read all the press, etc., and come to your own conclusion.
What we have here is a movie. The interrogation of Eichmann by Captain Avner Less is the heart of this film, and the determination of the Captain to obtain some type of confession within ever restricted time constraints.
Thomas Kretschmann (The Pianist, Downfall) is amazing. Admittedly, I was already in love with him from his other performances - he is brilliant and just so darn gorgeous. How he turns himself into Eichmann is reason enough to watch this movie. It is uncanny. The mannerisms, twitching, affectations. I have never seen anything like it, and there have been greats as in Downfall. I don't recall who did make-up in this film, but bravo! I don't know how they did it either. Most characterizations are grotesquely done. Thomas Kretschmann is the 5 star element here - just watching him metamorphize into Eichmann is in a category all on it's own.
Troy Garity (also gorgeous and not made-up to look any different) is also wonderful.
My biggest problems with this are the annoying score, and the increasing frenetic pace of the movie. The pacing is an obvious theatrical gimmick, badly done, unnecessary, and really aggravating, taking away from the excellent performances. Instead of adding to the critical time issue, adding suspense, or whatever they were going for, it is stupid, amateurish, and ruinous for a film of this quality. A film student mistake that should have been caught and corrected immediately. Reminiscent of a 1930's "B" cowboy flick.
Note to film makers: Movie viewers are not idiots. We do not need to be told every second what to think, how to react, or led by the nose to a feeling. If you are going to do it, try sublety. We really do not need a two by four.
P.S. There are no extra features with this DVD - zero. If you are looking for the director's or actors points of view, a "making of the movie", a documentary, - there is nothing. It really would have been a plus to the disapointing overall end and vastly improved the appeal of the DVD.