The Debt - Movie Review w/ A Strong Opinion (Contains possible spoilers)

The Surgeon of Birkenau has escaped prosecution for crimes against humanity and is living in East Berlin as a doctor. He is being sought after by two men and a woman (the Mossad secret agents) who are seeking to bring him to justice that he has alluded for 20 years. Kept captive for a number of weeks he finds a way to break free. Not to be shamed for losing one of the most sought after Nazi war criminals the three people tell a story of how when he tried to escape, he was shot dead by the female. This is the story they would carry with them for 30 years - from 1966 to 1997. But how long can one, not to mention three people carry a secret before one snaps with guilt and the truth is revealed and the shame they have tried to avoid comes to light.


The premise sounds better than what the movie produced. The Debt, a remake of the Israel's Ha-Hov (2007), was directed by John Madden (Proof, Shakespeare In Love) and stars Helen Mirren (Queen), Sam Worthington(Avatar), Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton), and Claran Hinds (Munich). With a fine cast, how could a movie go so wrong? I will tell you how - by spending too much time in the past. I feel they should have spent more time in 1997 with quick shots of the past or the characters speaking about the past which would would have gotten us caught to the present scene. Granted this may have be a bit confusing and tiresome for some people, but I am one of those viewers who enjoys being confused and have to put the pieces together to get the whole story. I personally believe too much was revealed in the past. No element of surprise in some instances.

For example: Rachel's daughter was not David's daughter but rather Stephan's daughter. This was revealed in 1966. I feel they could have kept this secret for the audience until 1997 when she met up with Stephan at her daughter's book reading/signing dinner (believe that's where they were).

I must back peddle a bit with regards to the past being shown too much. I find the scene in which they captured the surgeon and were trying to transport him back to their hideout was well written and well executed by the actors. Especially when part of their scheme involved the Berlin Wall and a train that passes through there but is not allowed to stop. But the weeks they were held up in the house with each if them taking turns watching and feeding the surgeon was long and drawn out. I was more interested in 1997. What happened in the past is just that, the past. It is what is happening now and how one is going to handle the here is now that is more important.

I understand we needed to know what took place back then that got the three people to where they are in 1997, but flashbacks or quick stories would have sufficed, to me.

I say, leave the audience wondering about somethings and close up what needs to be closed up.

Now the "scientific" part of the film. I was speaking to a friend of mine about the film and said that I didn't care for it and gave my reasoning. Besides the ones I pointed out my other reasoning of not liking the film was I was over thinking the ages of the surgeon and of David. Hence the name of my blog, Burnt Thoughts.

If the captured the surgeon in 1966 and we are now a little bit over 30 years later, that means the surgeon would have to be in his late 80's which would make him in his late 50's in 1966. And if we go back to when the camps were liberated which was 1944/1945, that would make him in late 30's early 40's and from the pictures they showed of him, he looked older that 40.

David, one of the agents set about to capture the surgeon, was turning 29 in 1966. From the story they told in the hide away house and from what I could gather, David was in a camp with his family. If that is the case then David would been eight.

So, yes, I really, REALLY, over thought the movie. But this is why seeing movies dealing with this subject matter is difficult for me to watch. I am too busy trying find the truth in small details something that perhaps the story teller is not that interested in providing small details. That's why they say, the devil is in the details.

I am currently on a mission to find the original movie, Ha-Hov, in order to compare the two - mostly for the details. I could just as easily Read the book as well. Which I just might do. But after the Pretty Little Liars series.