Review of Operation Finale (2018) by Glenn G — 02 Sep 2018

A tense mission of the utmost importance.

Operation Finale is part spy thriller and part historical account of Mossad's mission to capture the Nazi organizer Adolf Eichmann. Oscar Isaac plays the hothead Mossad agent hellbent on the success of this operation as a form of vengeance for the Jewish people. He is very dramatic and likable as you certainly are rooting for Isaac's character the entire time. Sir Ben Kingsley kills it in another amazing role for the acting legend. Kingsley plays Eichmann as the monstrous Nazi he is who makes every excuse for his heinous war crimes imaginable. Kingsley understands the callous nature of Eichmann and plays him with the cool conniving demeanor fitting the man.

The supporting cast is quite impressive. Melanie Laurent is wonderful, if underutilized, as Dr. Hanna. I surprisingly enjoyed the dramatic turn for comedian Nick Kroll who is excellent as the endearing Mossad agent along for the mission. Lior Raz is similarly impressive as the stern head of Mossad's operations and leadership. He only appears occasionally, but his presence is always known. Lastly, I was quite impressed by Michael Aronov. He plays one of the other agents that was particularly interesting against Isaac and Kroll's characters.

Notably, Operation Finale's score was composed by Alexandre Desplat. His music is quirky and quick paced that helps the film's slow burn pacing. The music ranges from delight melodies to suspenseful rumblings. I enjoyed it immensely.

Overall, director Chris Weitz made a captivating and engaging spy thriller. It is comparable to Munich or Schindler's List from Steven Spielberg, but it is not nearly as imaginative or original. I do think Operation Finale is better than The Debt, which adapts a near identical narrative. Operation Finale is one of the better films of 2018. It is thoughtful and gripping, while detailing out a realistic portrayal of this particular operation.