Movies desperate to deliver a message often fail as good cinema. Although I wouldn't say
Seven Days in Entebbe (2018) is a total flop, it did not come close to convincing me of its main points. I caught up to it last night courtesy of Netflix. I have no qualms admitting that I'm staunchly pro-Israel. I'm sure whomever would watch this flick would bring his/her views to it. It is a reenactment of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France plane that had many Jews aboard, mostly Israeli. It was taken after leaving Athens, refueled in Benghazi, then flown to Uganda, where the megalomaniacal butcher Idi Amin ruled. He is played broadly by Nonso Anozie. The plot was a joint effort between Germans and Palestinians. Director Jose Padilha, a Brazilian, and writer Gregory Burke, chose an even handed approach to characterization. These are kindler, gentler terrorists. They release the non-Jews. The creative team, like all people of good will, bemoans the endless cycle of violence between the factions, and does so in large part by incorporating shots of the performance of an Israeli dance troupe as metaphor. An IDF soldier's girlfriend is a member of the group. It's an idea that probably sounded a lot better on paper. Its execution seems almost silly, especially since it frequently interrupts the action of the raid, diminishing dramatic tension. The only actor with whom I was familiar is the talented Rosamund Pike, who plays one of the German terrorists. I always enjoy that unfamiliarity, as there is a freshness to the characterizations. What I liked most was the behind the scenes discussions about the possible political ramifications of what would be dubbed Operation Thunderbolt, although I have no idea as to their accuracy. I felt no sympathy for the four terrorists and 45 Ugandan soldiers killed. In my mind, they got what they deserved. Only one Israeli soldier perished, Lt. Colonel Yonathan Netanyahu, Bibi's older brother. 102 of the 106 hostages were rescued. Three were killed in the raid, one who had been hospitalized was later killed. The commando's also destroyed 11 Soviet-built planes of the Ugandan Air Force. Since Kenya provided support for the mission, Amin later exacted revenge. 245 Kenyans were murdered on Ugandan soil. The film makes no mention of this. A blurb appears in one of the last frames, stating that the sides are not talking all these years later. I know the hearts of the filmmakers are in the right place, but my question to them is: How does one negotiate with those who have vowed your destruction? 8000+ users at IMDb have rated
Seven Days in Entebbe, forging to a consensus of 5.8 on a scale of ten. Although I was never bored, I wouldn't go that high. This is a noble failure that Israel's detractors would admire, and it's supporters likely scorn. Action takes a back seat to intrigue. There is some suspense despite the outcome being known. Here's Pike in character:
My thanks to the woman who did a swap of books in Russian, and to the one who bought Ernest Hemingway's
For Whom the Bell Tolls; and to whomever purchased a used copy of
Adjustments at Amazon. I hope he/she didn't overpay for it. There are three copies still available, two listed at $59.99, one at $116.93. I sell it for ten on the street, $15 by mail order.
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