The Debt

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)

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. (28/11/2011)

As I've grown older, my perspective on movies and series I watched years ago has certainly shifted, and this film is a prime example. At one point, chasing Nazis might have seemed justified, but seeing the recent outcomes of such actions feels like kicking someone who's already unconscious. I'm not here to defend anyone, but dragging elderly folks in near-vegetative states to court, with more tubes and wires than Robocop, doesn't seem to have a point. What kind of punishment will they get? Life imprisonment? Right. The blindfolded lady with scales must be having a good laugh. Anyway, this film captured a time when such actions seemed more sensible, and I particularly enjoyed the part set in Berlin. However, the part set in the present and the ending was executed so poorly that I debated whether it deserved that third star for quite some time. / Lesson learned: While we played cops and robbers as children, kids in Israel apparently played games like Simon and the Nazis.3*- (22/06/2022)

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)

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)