[yasr_overall_rating]
Inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, and the most daring rescue mission ever attempted.
For such a promising premise, based on actual events, it’s hard to know what the filmmakers were trying to achieve with “7 Days in Entebbe.” The film starts off well enough but meanders in a very long second act that culminates in a surprisingly underwhelming denouement.
Essentially, the plotline is that in 1976, passengers on an Air France flight from Tel Aviv to Paris are re-routed by hijackers, first to Libya for refueling and then to Entebbe, Uganda. A team of Palestinians takes over negotiations on the ground in Entebbe, demanding money from the Israeli government, and the release of Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners.
The film could have been a thrilling political drama. Or certainly an exciting hostage rescue film. Or even an in-depth exploration of the motivations of poor and oppressed peoples who resort to extreme measures for relief – or at least the chance to make a statement about that oppression. Though it often seems that “7 Days in Entebbe” is attempting all three, the film falls short of such aspirations in every instance.
The missed opportunities have much to do with the very long stretch between the initial hijacking and the actual raid. This extended segment could have been used for various purposes, but the prospect is wasted – with the exception of the Israeli Cabinet’s debate regarding a response. Thankfully, for these scenes, there are many interesting exchanges between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (Lior Ashkenazi) and Defense Minister Shimon Peres, played well by Eddie Marsan. They are of two minds on the matter, and the ongoing test of wills is the most substantive aspect of the film.
In addition, Nonso Anozie provides a very different and interesting take on Idi Amin than Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland.” Here, however, Amin’s character is not on screen long enough to get any real sense of his role in the events at hand. It is a shame that so much of actual history gets left out of the film. The scenes with the hostages in the hanger provide many spare minutes of runtime, but they largely constitute unnecessary decisions about the logistics of the hostages. Instead, greater exposition or more screen footage of the larger political context at the time would have been a welcome addition to the story.
Directed by José Padilha and written by Gregory Burke, it is as if the filmmakers were trying to create a sort of a stylized version of events, perhaps in an effort to transcend previous works on the subject. For example, several intercut scenes employing the Batsheva Dance Company choreographed by Ohad Naharin weave into the narrative to dramatize the main storyline. Although visually impressive, this technique fails to inspire.
With the exception of Rosamund Pike, most of the actors will not be familiar to American audiences. Pike as Brigitte Kuhlmann, speaking convincing German, is hard to recognize at first in her dark, unkempt brunette hair. She is the more committed of the two Germans, though her zeal is clearly a function of guilt because a fellow comrade died while in prison, and a psyche that may not be quite right as a result.
The few highlights include a good scene between Daniel Brühl, playing the other German hijacker Wilfried Böse, and a Palestinian who wonders why these “Nazis” are even involved in this mess. Given middle-class backgrounds, the Palestinian doesn’t understand what is motivating the pair. The German’s short answer smacks of naïve idealism, to which the Palestinian responds bitterly that if he had Böse’s life and a homeland, he wouldn’t even be here.
The hijacked plane’s flight engineer, Jacques Le Moine, played by Denis Ménochet, also has some thought-provoking exchanges with the hostage-takers. In a discussion on the roof, while trying to fix the broken plumbing needed to provide water and sewer services to the hostages in the hanger below, Böse is preoccupied with his so-called higher ideals. Le Moine responds that one plumber is worth ten freedom fighters, and one engineer is worth fifty of them.
Perhaps because it tries unsuccessfully to do too many things, the film never quite takes off. Sadly, the trailer has more suspense than the movie. Though “7 Days in Entebbe” seems to be a cross between a drama and a documentary, the irony is that most pure documentaries generate a greater sense of excitement.
In theaters Friday, March 16th
