It’s a tale we should probably hear more often: How Adolf Eichmann (Ben Kingsley) was captured in Argentina by the Mossad 15 years after World War II ended, then smuggled to Israel to be tried for war crimes, convicted and hanged. Unfortunately, director Chris Weitz and screenwriter Matthew Orton have forgotten the golden rule of telling historical stories: Make sure the audience thinks history isn’t going to happen the way it actually happened. (You know that feeling you get during
Miracle that the United States Olympic hockey team might not beat the Soviets after all? That feeling.) A surprisingly limp Oscar Isaac is Peter Malkin, the man most responsible for Eichmann’s capture. Each time Malkin has a big emotional moment, Isaac telegraphs his thoughts with a weird, confused look on his face, as if he’s thinking, “How would someone who survived war crimes look in this moment?” Lots of moments are telegraphed, none too well, and by the time Malkin and team (including a little-used Mélanie Laurent) escape Argentina, it’s not a feeling of
whew! It’s a feeling that maybe they should have called it Operation
Finally. Snore.
By
David Riedel