'The Debt'

'The Debt' (R) (2 STARS)

Writers: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman and Peter Straughan
Based on film 'Ha-Hov' written by Assef Bernstein and Ido Rosenblum
Director: John Madded
Starring: Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds, Sam Worthington, Martin Csokas, Jesper Christensen

"The Debt" comes and goes and does a serviceable job of creating a little tension. It just isn't a movie that grabbed me. I felt I has seen it before and I probably won't remember it a week from now. It has a solid cast but I felt they were wasted but I do know I can't keep my eyes off of Jessica Chastain. Without her and Helen Mirren this is just a straight to DVD type of movie.

"The Debt" has a plot that tries to surprise us but I didn't feel surprised. It tells the story of three Mossad agents, two that are married to each other, as they try to exterminate the evil Nazi war criminal Dieter Vogel. He has killed thousands of Jews and the movie starts in 1997 when the retired agents are given information that might change things. The movie flashes back to 1966 when the three go after Dieter and this is the best part of the movie. The movie gets laughable and silly when it gets back to 1997 and concludes with a dumb ending.

Now the characters in their early years are not that well developed but there are some good shocks and action though. The characters are not well fleshed out and a promising actor like Sam Worthington does not register at all. The movie though is saved by the talented new actress Jessica Chastain who is on a roll now. She was amazing this year in "Tree Of Life" and "The Help" and will soon be seen in a lot more movies soon. She has a natural beauty and she does a lot with the little that she is given. We are witnessing a star and great actress in the making and she is the only thing in this movie that was interesting.

Helen Mirren of course is great as usual but what a bunch of over melodramatic and awkward scenes she has to wade through. The movie becomes a cheap thriller at the end and I didn't care about the characters after awhile. There is a wonderful scene in the middle when Chastain's character Rachel Singer tries to catch Dieter but it is the only scene that is very well handled. I have not seen the original film from Isreal so I don't know how close this remake is but enough with remaking foreign films that just came out a few years ago. The director is John Madden who rightfully won an Oscar for "Shakespeare in Love" over the over rated "Saving Private Ryan" but obviously his career has stalled. "The Debt" is nothing new and I was bored and disinterested most of the time.

P.S. For better movies on this subject check out the creepy and thrilling "Marathon Man" from 1976 with Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier. Also check out the campy and hilarious and wonderful 1978 film "Boys From Brazil" with Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier. That movie was silly but it is ten times more entertaining and energetic then "The Debt". I think i might just check out the original movie, maybe it has a pulse.