1. showandtell

   10

   Excellent...across the board. Intense and complex ... well executed, superb acting. Not sure if those who gave this a lower rating watched the same movie. It's a 10...hands down.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
2. Bruce722

   8

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was an absolutely fantastic movie. The acting was great, the way the story flowed, while I didn't love it initially, was perfect once the movie unravels, and the plot and character development was superb. It didn't try to overdo it but you felt like you understood the characters ideals and perspectives by the end of the film. Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington do great jobs but Jessica Chastain steals the screen. She's not just gorgeous but she shows the full range in this movie. The movie didn't have anywhere near as much "action" as the previews eluded to but that was both a weakness and a kind of strength of the film so that's not entirely why I knocked the rating down. The main thing I wasn't a fan of was the ending. It felt like the entire film was building to something and then it completely spins in a different direction and that was awesome. However, they didn't seem to finish that direction well and some of the decisions made by Mirren's character in the end seem a bit suspect. Nonetheless, this is a great movie and while everyone certainly won't enjoy it, I think those that can appreciate it will.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
3. TVJerry

   6

   It's a bit deceptive to give Helen Mirren star billing, because she's only onscreen for the first and final few minutes (although she IS a star and the fulcrum character). The majority of the film follows three Mossad agents with the mission of capturing a Nazi war criminal living in '60s East Berlin. It's bookended 30 years later, when the trio deals with their shameful secret. Although the story is interesting, the pacing is lax and the few mildly tense scenes aren't worth the payoff. The uniformly strong cast enhances the narrative, but a shorter, tauter film would have been more effective.… Expand

   • Helpful? 4 of 4 users said Yes.
4. emcoffey3

   4

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had high hopes for The Debt, which is why I'm sorry to give it such a low rating. It's billed as a thriller, but the parts that are supposed to be thrilling never really had me on the edge of my seat. Part of the problem stems from the "revised history" they show the audience at the beginning of the film. This alludes to a portion of the story that it then takes them roughly an hour to actually reach, so everyone is well aware of where the movie will eventually go. Also, I was a little put off by the deception perpetrated by the main characters. Essentially, the "good guys" don't come off as very good at all. Long story short: The Debt suffers from some poor pacing and awkward storytelling. And it's a bit of a downer.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.

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