The Debt

The latest effort from Shakespeare in Love filmmaker John Madden, The Debt follows a trio of Israeli agents (Sam Worthington’s David, Martin Csokas’ Stefan, and Jessica Chastain’s Rachel) as they attempt to abduct (and bring to justice) a notorious Nazi criminal – with the film unfolding both in the past and in the late ’90s, when the three comrades (Ciarán Hinds’ David, Tom Wilkinson’s Stefan, and Helen Mirren’s Rachel) are forced to reunite following the publication of a book detailing their efforts. Madden generally does a nice job of establishing an impressively tense atmosphere, with the stretch set within a dingy apartment, where the agents are holding the aforementioned criminal, undoubtedly standing as a highlight within the proceedings. All three of the younger actors are quite good in their respective roles, with the real surprise here Worthington (ie after his wooden turn at the festival’s Last Night, it’s rather unexpected to discover that he’s actually quite compelling here). The inclusion of a few electrifying interludes (eg the Nazi attempts to goad David into beating him up) staves off the stagy atmosphere one might’ve anticipated, yet it’s ultimately difficult to muster up much interest in the love triangle that crops up about midway through. It’s also worth noting that the film does run out of steam as it progresses, with the anticlimactic (and increasingly preposterous) third act effectively diminishing the impact of the frequently enthralling opening hour. Still, The Debt is a solid little thriller that undoubtedly stands as a marked improvement over Madden’s last foray into the genre (2008’s miserable Killshot).

**1/2 out of ****