Movie Review: The Debt

Oct 12 2011 by Ian Bunting, Airdrie & Coatbridge

THE Debt starts in 1997 when retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) are stunned by news of former colleague David (Ciaran Hinds).

They then have to look back at a 1966 mission where the trio tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen).

The story plays out across the two different time periods with plenty of surprising revelations unfolding for those involved.

The Debt is a good espionage thriller with its focus very much on a strong story and cast.

It’s actually a remake of a 2007 Israeli film of the same name (sorry, it ain’t in my DVD collection) and right from an early shock suicide there are twists and turns galore to keep the audience gripped throughout an often slow-burn ride.

John Madden, no not the colourful American NFL commentator but the Portsmouth-born director of Shakespeare in Love, is behind the camera and takes an old-school approach.

With the exception of dripping water adding tension to one scene and the effective use of flashbacks, he just sits back and lets the cast do their thing.

Brit class acts Mirren and Wilkinson shine as the older agents, complete with mental and physical scars, and the former even gets involved in some violent action late on.

Sam Worthington (David), Jessica Chastain (Rachel) and Marton Csokas (Stephan) all do a good job as younger versions of the secret agents.

Chastain, in particular, makes her mark during the film’s best storyline arc; the relationship between a young Rachel and Vogel.

There’s a wee hint of Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling about these two leading on from hospital chats where Vogel gets an intimate physical and emotional view of Rachel that result in an unhealthy connection.

The Debt strikes as award-baiting fare and the best contender for prizes in the new year may be Christensen (Mr White in Casino Royale).

He makes the skin crawl as the evil-personified Nazi doctor who tests Rachel and pulls her strings when the tables are turned on him.

Kick-Ass collaborators Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman are joined by Peter Straughan on the screenplay and the clever decision to use flashbacks sees later lies add depth to earlier scenes.

They also add tension to the dynamic of the three agents, both young and old, by creating a love triangle of sorts.

Negatives? A bungled mission at a rail line is the closest we get to an action sequence, actors occasionally slip into their normal accents and, as I mentioned before, the pace is a little slow.

But if you like to be kept guessing and are up for substance over style then The Debt will immerse you in a world fraught with danger, untruths, splintering relationships and a truly horrifying antagonist.

Rating - 7 out of 10.