Eichmann (2007) starring Thomas Kretschmann, Troy Garity, Franka Potente, Stephen Fry, Delaine Yates directed by Robert Young Movie Review

Eichmann (2007)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Thomas Kretschmann in Eichmann (2007)

The Interrogation of Adolf Eichmann

Just a few weeks ago I stumbled across "The Man Who Captured Eichmann" a 1996 TV movie about Adolf Eichmann and it was that movie which made me aware of this man. Now I find myself watching another movie about Adolf Eichmann, a more recent one which is said to be based on the transcripts of Captain Avner Less of the Israeli police interrogating Eichmann before he went to trial. It appealed purely because the first movie which I watched focussed on the capture of Eichmann in Argentina.

Now that as you would guess means that I am no expert on Eichmann, his actions during the war, his capture afterwards or his trial and my interest in watching "Eichmann" was firstly out of entertainment and secondly out of interest. Unfortunately when it comes to my main reason for watching "Eichmann" comes up short and is a dry, dull movie which when it tries to pep things up when it comes to Avner's relationship with his sick wife feels wrong. Now don't get me wrong as I am wasn't watching expecting exciting action but I was expecting more than sepia toned scenes of Avner talking to Eichmann in a cell. Having said all that as for my second reason for watching, out of interest in what happened, well yes it is interesting but the dry manner in which director Robert Young goes about the movie makes it laborious.

Then there are the performances and first up there is Troy Garity as Avner Less who unfortunately comes across as dull with no personality at all whilst the casting of Franka Potente as his ill wife seems a curious one. There is also Stephen Fry of all people who shows up as Minister Tormer and plays him at times a bit too large for the movie, which maybe that was how the real man was but feels wrong when you have such a dour movie. But then there is Thomas Kretschmann and it is Thomas Kretschmann who makes "Eichmann" worth watching, making his character cold, controlled, remorseless, evil and even though in a cell superior to those around him. It is a stunning performance from Kretschmann which captivates you in a way the rest of the movie fails to do.

What this all boils down to is that "Eichmann" wasn't awful as it was still an interesting account of what happened but it feels a flawed movie with only Thomas Kretschmann's performance really working.


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