#REVIEW: “7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Since the 50s, Palestinians have created the Freedom Fighter movement against the Israelis. Yet, the Israelis labeled these Freedom Fighter movements as acts of terrorism. 7 Days in Entebbe tells the story of one week in 1976 when the Freedom Fighters hijacked an Air France flight that was travelling from Tel Aviv to Paris. They managed to divert the plane to Entebbe, Uganda where they held 106 people hostage in one airport terminal. Quickly, the Israelis amongst the hostages are singled-out and separated from other detainees. When the Israeli government is informed about the hostage situation they seek out the best way of freeing those captive. Resulting in the most daring rescue mission ever attempted.

Screenwriter Gregory Burke and Director Jose Padilha create a Film that questions which side isright and wrong. With weighing out the good and bad on either side they leave the audience to question what they believe. And considering the story is about the Palestinian and Israeli tensions Burke makes an interesting choice to make his leads German. The Film tells the story through the eyes of the two German citizens, Wilfred Rose (Daniel Brühl) and Brigitte Kehlmann (Rosamund Pike) that helped the Palestinians in the 1976 hijack. Burke gives these two characters motivation to join the Palestinian movement and their fear for doing so: they are Germans who are holding Jews hostage. This leads to complex characters that both Pike and Bruhl revel in. Pike makes her Brigitte a force to be reckoned with. In the 70s women weren’t seen as being violent by society, but nurturing. Pike delves into this concept making her complexed Brigitte multi-layered. She constantly questions her characters actions when she is frightening and when she’s assisting, consistently playing the opposites at once. While Brühl’s Wilfred slowly unravels from headstrong to indecisive in his motivations. Showing depth and humanity to a character that might be looked at as simply one-note.

Overall, 7 Days in Entebbe will inform audiences who have never heard of this daring rescue mission before. But for those who are familiar with the story, this Film will bring no new information.

Universal Pictures Canada will release 7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE on Friday, March 16, 2018.