By Maggie Smith
Reporter
Operation: Finale is the best movie I have seen in a long time. Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley play leading roles in this 2018 historical film, portraying the true story of the capture of Nazi Adolf Eichman. Their stellar acting coupled with the intensity and history of this story, makes me highly recommend this movie directed by Chris Weitz.
In 1960, Adolf Eichmann was found to be living in Buenos Aires. This German-born man was responsible for the Final Solution: the Nazi’s use of gas poisoning, ovens, and death camps to rid their country of Jews and others they thought not fit to live. Operation Finale follows the Israeli mission to covertly capture Eichmann and take him back to Israel to stand trial for his war crimes. Peter Malkin (played by Oscar Isaac) was one of the members of this operation, and he had a personal stake in it. During World War II, his sister and her children had been murdered in Eichmann’s Final Solution.
The capture went smoothly and mostly as planned. But there was one hitch. The Israeli government wanted a statement signed by Eichmann saying that he would willingly return to Israel to stand trial. Malkin had to figure out how to make this signature happen.
As this unfolds, the relationship of captor and captured takes a unique turn, with both Malkin and Eichmann trying to understand each other. The heartbroken Israeli Malkin and the hardened Nazi leader Eichmann (Ben Kingsley) must come to terms with the point of view of the other, whether or not they understand it.
I loved the history of this movie. It made me think, made me thankful for the freedom I have, and made me bawl as it recounted the cruelties that took place during World War II. Operation: Finale is most definitely worth the time and money to see, for any adults, college students, or just anyone who loves history.
Leave a Reply