Eichmann

"Eichmann" was a very powerful movie, balancing the decency of Avner Less in trying to be fair to his interviewee, and the despicable man across the table who had played such a large role in the murder of millions, including Less' own father.Some have complained about several aspects of the movie, including the color of the film, historical inaccuracies, and the inclusion of sexual scenes.In my opinion, the use of the film color, which some have called "sepia," is in no way detrimental, and actually sets a mood for those difficult scenes. It marks out the ghastly aspects of what Less had to do in his job--spending hours talking to Eichmann about the Holocaust, and separates his daily personal life which is filmed in realistic tones.It seems that many people expect every movie which is historical in nature to adhere rigidly to the facts, dates, numbers, settings, and some movies do that. They are called documentaries. This is an historical drama. Maybe the writers and producers could have done a better job with the details, but the message of the movie doesn't suffer from it.The few, short, scenes including sexual activity have a purpose. They demonstrate that Eichmann, just like us, was a human being. The Nazis were regular people, who had monstrous ideas and carried them out. Too often historical characters become static, almost cartoon images, making it difficult to realize that they were people.For me, one of the most important parts of the movie is during the credits. We hear the voice of real life Avner Less talking about how we cannot let the story of the Holocaust fade into obscurity. That there are Eichmanns in the world, even at this moment, but they are only enabled through dictatorship. It is Democracy which keeps the wolves live Eichmann from the door.

I prefer docudramas, bio-pics, or whatever category this film falls into, to be dead on accurate and they seldom are. This is accurate enough and certainly more accurate than most. I have been reading about WW11 since I was a child.My father was killed in that conflict, all of my relatives that were able fought in it, and my whole family was involved one way or the other. Aside from my personal involvement, WW11 is a fascinating and dreadful event in human history and one that people never seem to tire of finding intriging.It is very difficult to find the absolute historical truth. Words, ideas, events, and stories can be slanted. So, if you are looking for absolute historical truth, read all the books, manuscripts, historical documents, watch the documentaries, read all the press, etc., and come to your own conclusion.What we have here is a movie. The interrogation of Eichmann by Captain Avner Less is the heart of this film, and the determination of the Captain to obtain some type of confession within ever restricted time constraints.Thomas Kretschmann (The Pianist, Downfall) is amazing. Admittedly, I was already in love with him from his other performances - he is brilliant and just so darn gorgeous. How he turns himself into Eichmann is reason enough to watch this movie. It is uncanny. The mannerisms, twitching, affectations. I have never seen anything like it, and there have been greats as in Downfall. I don't recall who did make-up in this film, but bravo! I don't know how they did it either. Most characterizations are grotesquely done. Thomas Kretschmann is the 5 star element here - just watching him metamorphize into Eichmann is in a category all on it's own.Troy Garity (also gorgeous and not made-up to look any different) is also wonderful.My biggest problems with this are the annoying score, and the increasing frenetic pace of the movie. The pacing is an obvious theatrical gimmick, badly done, unnecessary, and really aggravating, taking away from the excellent performances. Instead of adding to the critical time issue, adding suspense, or whatever they were going for, it is stupid, amateurish, and ruinous for a film of this quality. A film student mistake that should have been caught and corrected immediately. Reminiscent of a 1930's "B" cowboy flick.Note to film makers: Movie viewers are not idiots. We do not need to be told every second what to think, how to react, or led by the nose to a feeling. If you are going to do it, try sublety. We really do not need a two by four.P.S. There are no extra features with this DVD - zero. If you are looking for the director's or actors points of view, a "making of the movie", a documentary, - there is nothing. It really would have been a plus to the disapointing overall end and vastly improved the appeal of the DVD.

This movie lacks a real purpose. It doesn't really glean any insights into the man who is "Eichmann," other than showing off his craftiness in trying to avoid the death penalty -- for the entire film. Granted, trying to explore any humanity in a man who went so far beyond any tacit duplicity and well into the sadistic joy of power.Eichmann's sordid sexual liaisons with one-dimensional women didn't help demonize him as much as it titillated, and it turned them into stereotypical caricatures, for some odd reason. There was no exploration or possible explanation to their roles. The movie tread lightly and subsequently, didn't really leave anything behind in the end.Some short one-liners did resonate: aspects of how Eichmann viewed the Jews now, in earlier Palestine and post Zionism, but I felt much was left out or perhaps on the cutting floor relating to the actual mechanization of a holocaust and its absence of humanity.Even the interrogator's family aspects and work pressures where not very engaging. They seemed formulaic and flat. Where were the opportunities to look into the interrogator's past -- his father? Most people want explorations into motivations when it comes to this subject matter.Further, how do those motivations change as one gets further separation from a devil. Why wasn't the relationship with Himmler explored? As a powerful yet once-removed official, why couldn't Eichmann use both his upward power yet downward humanity to affect change, a la Schindler? He had far more access and power than a mere Schindler.If the move wanted to show nothing but a shallow yet efficient, self-absorbed man, babbling little nothings to save his skin, they succeeded. But it would not require a whole film to do that. The movie isn't especially good because it's only morosely maudlin; that's not enough given the subject.

I'm not entirely sure why, but this film was quite disappointing. I watched it with a pal. And we agreed, it was somehow underwhelming.Essentially it depicts a war of wills between Adolf Eichmann (Thomas Kretschmann) and Avner Less (Troy Garity), the Israeli agent tasked with interrogating the high-level Nazi, famously abducted from his postwar exile in Argentina.All the elements of the film, from its ostensible subjects - the history and person of Eichmann, his abduction and removal to Israel to stand trial, and the process by which he is brought to trial - are, or ought to be, fascinating and compelling.But somehow it doesn't spark sufficient interest. Perhaps Kretschmann doesn't quite succeed in the role? He can act, as witness his roles in Stalingrad and Downfall. He's clearly studied footage of Eichmann: he both looks and acts the part, visually at any rate. Or maybe it's the way the film is structured/directed? Use of flashbacks to the time of the war is made, but they just don't work, somehow. More emphasis is placed on Eichmann's sexual peccadilloes than his inhumanity.I initially posted this as a four star review - I recall enjoying it more than my pal did! - but, unlike many other war films I have, including some on ostensibly similar subjects, such as Downfall, which I've probably watched four or five times now, I feel no urge to watch this again.Strangely, one of the things that struck me most and lingered in my mind after watching this, was not any sense of horror at the monster Eichmann may have been, but the irony of the fact that Avner Less drives a Volkswagen Beetle, the Führer's 'people's car'. Surely this means that somehow the film is failing to tell its story with sufficient verve?

I found this film to be engrossing but at times a little tough to sit through.The seven month interogation of newly a captured Adolf Eichmann is compacted here in 1 hour 40 minutes.Eichmann was one of the greatest criminals that history has ever known.He was responsible for the death of six million Jews.This is a good film, but it that falls short of its potential due to its subject matter.

Having a massive interest in world war 2 history, I bought this. I loved conspiracy and thought it was really well done, even though it mainly, focuses on a meeting the whole film, it caught your attention. This focuses on Eichmann in his prison ceil after being caught by Israelis. Its dull to say the least and does not really do much for the viewer and does not give you much of a history lesson either as, the story told is very basic, one to watch it you can borrow, but don't bother buying.

The movie might have been better were some time devoted to Eichmann's circuitous escape from Europe and his progress through Argentina, etc. Kretchmann's performance is always good and the supporting cast entirely adequate. Shooting the tale in German/Hebrew with subtitles would have added more realism. The DVD itself certainly could have benefitted from supplementary material, i.e. snippets from the actual trial of Eichmann in Jerusalem.

Of course i had high hopes for the movie and i wasnt disapointed.. i must admit that i thought this is a movie of Eichmann and his days serving the 3rd reich but no.. it was about his capture and interrogation.. The film kept me awake and i was stunned how good actors where in it.. i felt in me those feelings what israeli's felt towards Eichmann and those feelings what Eichmann told about himself and his life.. two very different worlds and they didnt understand each other even in the end.. Eichmann was missing his children very much and israeli interrogater replied with anger: "but what about those thousands of children who you send to death by your signature?" Eichmann just answered: "but those were jews" Good movie.