The Debt

Very respectable, both as a psychological drama and as a suspenseful thriller. However, it would have been better to focus more on one or the other. The Debt could have then found a more distinctive place in cinema alongside, for example, the dramatic Munich or the thriller Valkyrie, next to which it is more likely to gather dust as it is. John Madden tries at all costs to engage American viewers while intellectually fulfilling Europeans and narrowly misses the mark. Ignore the ending, which is utterly inappropriate and calls my four-star rating into question. (01.11.2011)

If this movie had been made a few years later, Jessica Chastain would have visited Prague sooner than she managed to with the movie Zookeeper’s Wife. I’m sure of that. You see you can feel Prague’s good old architecture from this film, which is also quite similar in Budapest. That’s why they use Budapest to shoot East Berlin every now and then. Nevertheless, I watched this movie mainly because of Jessica, who once again put in an incredible acting performance. It was a bit worse with the story that tries to look very interesting, spy-like and fateful, but it’s actually about one botched operation and the related lie. Nothing too big, nothing too complicated. The atmosphere is definitely good, but you sort of suspect all the time how things will eventually turn out and you have no reason to yearn for the ending from the very start, which is a pity for a movie like this. (17.04.2017)

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)

The Debt had its sights set high with its theme and cast but the ambitious script tries to do too many things at once. The genre fusion of a love story with a psychological drama would be fine, but grafting an action thriller onto it was a mistake. I understand the producers' concern that the film should not be too intimate in its nature because adventurous elements simply sell, but at the same time they detract from its credibility and power. The most impressive aspect of The Debt is where, through dialogues, it comes to a confrontation between the characters, a clash of value hierarchies, and strength of will. Scandinavian Jesper Christensen portrays his war criminal as a terrifying monster, a cold-blooded psychopath who never loses his nerve for even a second and does not give up even in seemingly hopeless situations. He is demonic and brilliantly acted, just like Jessica Chastain in the role of the Mossad agent, who represents his antithesis. She is determined but also full of emotions and emotional confusion. Their chilling spark, whether in the office or in an illegal apartment after the doctor's capture, is the premature climax of the film. The film is not harmed by the shifting time frames, but rather by the aforementioned attempt to move the drama into a more appealing genre. The final quarter hour, when there is a final settling of accounts in Ukraine, kills the film's high potential because it pushes it to the brink of absurdity. It could have been a five-star affair, but after the final showdown between the old men, I can only give it three strong stars. Overall impression: 65%. (06.07.2017)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)