The Hunt is on in Operation Finale

In Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List, Ben Kingsley played Holocaust survivor Itzhak Stern. Now he shifts gears in Chris Weitz's Operation Finale as Nazi official Adolf Eichmann; credited as the architect of the Final Solution who evaded capture after World War II. This is the the story of the people who went out to find him.....

Poe Dameron assembling the group.

When word gets out that one of Hitler's top men is hiding in Argentina, the Israeli government send in a team lead by Peter Malkins (Oscar Issac) on an undercover mission to capture Eichmann, bring him to Israel and stand trail. Seizing him would be the least of their troubles as getting out of a country that sympathizes with Nazism at the time proves to be bit difficult than they imagined as their ticket out gets delayed. Their time in Argentina is extended leaving our Jewish posse to guard a man who stands for all the monstrosity their people suffered for.

Sylvia (Haley Lu Richardson) and Klaus (Joe Alwyn)

It seem's that the sins of Weitz's past film New Moon still befall's the director as the first half of Operation Finale feels like an episode out of (insert teen drama show) from The CW with Adolf's son Klaus (Joe Alwyn) dating Sylvia Hermann (Haley Lu Richardson). Unbeknownst to him, she is Jewish. They first meet in a movie theater playing 1959's Imitation of Life, at the part where the heritage of Susan Koher's character is revealed. The scene is recreated almost shot-by-shot with Sylvia when she breaks the news to Klaus. I understand this is Weitz's way of paying tribute to his mother Susan Koher, but it's an odd choice to choose such a moment. It comes off rather corny in a movie that is supposed to be a serious Post-WWII thriller. Another element that is out of place is the score played in the opening credits. For movie that delves into a serious subject, whimsical music from a Wes Anderson picture is not what I had in mind.

Malkin and Eichmann.

About an hour in, does the film become an intriguing watch. The extract squad is established one of them played by comedian Nick Kroll in a surprisingly mellow performance. Even if you do know the outcome, the scenes of the capture and escape are nail-bitingly well done. Issac and Kinglsey are fantastic in their scenes together. A Jew who who has every right to be furious with the man he must protect but believes in the justice system that will await him when they return. Something he constantly reminds himself and his friends, all who have faced such horrors and lost people they love. It's an excellent display of showing compassion to our enemies; even men like Eichmann who display's some human emotion. We hear his side of the story but not forgetting that he is a guilty man nor any of his past actions justifiable.

Like Ben Affleck's Argo, Weitz takes certain liberties to make the movie more interesting down to the climax at an airport. Once you get past those similarities and a bumpy beginning Operation Finale makes for a perceptive picture that like any movie like this will raise interest in looking up the facts of such a remarkable event.

Final Verdict: (B)