I saw an advance screening of The Debt tonight. I'll admit, it was a film I kept my eye on once I read about it on the IMDb message boards for Avatar some time ago, since Avatar was another film with Sam Worthngton. I remember it looking pretty interesting, however I'd not heard about it for some time after due to the delays. However during July, it had gotten advertised more, and I was ready to mark down August 31st as a "must see" date. However when I got a pass in an Alliance Films giveaway, I was excited.
And thankfully this movie did not disappoint. The movie comes out next week, I'd say go see it.
A remake of the 2007 Israeli flick of the same name, which I'll admit to having not seen, The Debt follows two of three secret agents who went on a mission to capture the surgeon of Birkneau, and bring him to Israel to expose him for the crimes he committed against Jewish humanity during WWII. His horrifying experiments have left thousands dead in brutal and gory ways. The gang had a plan set in place, and according to a new book written about the ordeal, the mission was completed. However, something about the mission has come back to haunt them... And furthermore, that very some 30 years later, thing has the two remaining agents fearing for what happens next in life!
I don't want to give too much away, because believe me, the nervousness and suspense I felt throughout the movie is unmatched by any other film I saw this year. Believe me, this film is insanely well written. Matthew Vaughn of Kick-Ass and X-Men First Class fame wrote the script, and boy you can tell he did. His charm and genius are all over the film, in a different fashion than the two mentioned films, but his clever writing style is there. The dialogue is sharp and witty, the turn of events is clever. There's loads of suspense throughout the film. Seriously, not one scene had me feeling calm at all. The film was high octane, ferociously suspenseful thrill ride that had me on the edge of my seat from the first frame.
The film also has a great ability to surprise people, and believe me, this movie is filled to the brim with surprise and intrigue. The film's central twist is especially shocking. Believe me, the movie definitely toys with your expectations and perception of events in pretty much every way possible. But the central twist is especially a shocker, as it completely comes out of nowhere and strikes you blindly. At the screening, you could feel everyone tense up, and especially as the film reaches its shattering climax, the suspense just got more unbearable. However, there is some good Vaughn style humour thrown in there for good measure too.
The films' performances are fantastic. Helen Mirren shines as per usual as Rachel, and her young counterpart is not only very pretty but amazingly talented too. Jesper Christensen is amazingly scary as the villain, Vogel, and he does so without any gimmicks. But the real surprise is Sam Worthington as David. Believe me, he really, truly shines here. His portrayal is very convincing, and he manages to prove to the audience that he is not just a pretty face. As well as the film's direction is slick and sharp. madden has a fantastic eye for a shot, and it shows, there are a lot of moments of visual brilliance too, and some shots even look spooky at times.
In short, The Debt is the biggest surprise of the year, and a true shiner in a dark age for cinema nowadays. If you would like to watch a movie that for once isn't 3D, for once doesn't force feed you with gimmicks, don't pass up this full tilt action thrill ride. Although I saw it for free at a screening, I would have felt like my money was put to good use if I paid to see it too. Do not miss this film!
