97 user reviews
7.2
/10
| Average votes grouped by age and by sex: | |||||||
| Age: | 1-12 | 13-17 | 18-25 | 26-35 | 36-49 | 50+ | Total |
| Men: Votes: |
- 0 |
10 1 |
7.7 3 |
7.2 9 |
6.4 20 |
7.3 29 |
7.1 62 |
| Women: Votes: |
- 0 |
- 0 |
6 1 |
7.5 4 |
7.2 8 |
7.6 17 |
7.4 31 |
| Total: Votes: |
- 0 |
10 1 |
7.2 4 |
7.3 13 |
6.7 29 |
7.4 47 |
7.2 97 |
| Total includes those who didn't specify sex. | |||||||
Reviews from 1 to 50 (total: 97)
"The Debt" is a first rate political thriller about Israeli Mossad agents hunting a notorious Nazi war criminal in East Berlin in the early 60's. Splendidly played by Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Martin Csokas who play the younger versions of Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkenson and Ciaran Hinds in the principle roles. Great chemistry between actors and a top notch screenplay make for a mesmerizing tale of political intrigue. A must see.
| 9/10 | harley17gordon@ - 171 reviews 21.4.2013 - age: 50+ |
This movie moved along well, with an interesting plot and present day twist of fate. However the ending was disappointing, making me feel like I'd wasted my time.
| 5/10 | book.boss@ - 36 reviews 4.1.2012 - age: 50+ |
Good movie, in general, especially the story. However, the pace is incredibly slow, so it's more of an actor's movie than a story (thriller) and action movie.
| 7/10 | zygoto78@ - 273 reviews 30.12.2011 - age: 26-35 |
I'm not sure why it was called the debt. The Debt makes you think of something financial of some sort. Either way the acting was well done and the story touching but I failed to get as attached to the movie as I wanted to. In the end something was missing. Better than your average falls short of being great.
| 7/10 | sacoca_@ - 653 reviews 13.12.2011 - age: 26-35 |
'The Debt' is a stunning movie masterpiece set in the 1960s and today. The acting by all principal characters is superb, and the direction is top-notch. It is about Mossad agents hunting down a Nazi war-criminal in the 1960s East Berlin using prolonged surveillance and the drama between the three agents, and their personal differences. Ciaran Hinds, Jesper Christensen and especially the mature and perfectly cast Helen Mirren make every scene worth watching. The story will quickly envelop you and keep you watching to the very end, where the climax is both satisfying and realistic. A well-made movie with some tight editing, crisp acting, good camera work and realistic direction, whether in the 60s scenes or current. Worth every penny. I recommend this movie.
| 9/10 | vipulgshukla@ - 13 reviews 3.12.2011 - age: 36-49 |
I can't give a higher rating because I've seen the original movie Ha-Hov and that one deserved a 10. I hate what they did to the original story line, romanticizing it for the taste of the North American audiences. The Israeli movie has more depth, the dynamics between the 3 main character and the surgeon of Birkenau is gripping. Why do foreign-language movies have to be remade "à l'Américaine" (i. e. butchered) in order to achieve some international recognition? Yeah, it's a rhetorical question.
| 6/10 | havah350@ - 53 reviews 19.11.2011 - age: 26-35 |
The Debt puts combines suspense, intrigue, and a good spy thriller in a way that had me completely focused and intent on following the story. I did not think the film had as much violence and "language" as the rating implies - it has some very surprising twists in the story that make it an amazing movie. Generally, I don't care for this genre, but this is a wonderful exception. You should see it - I don't want to give it away!
| 9/10 | callconnie@ - first review 16.11.2011 - age: 50+ |
The only thing that prevents this film from earning 10/10 is I would have hoped they would have provided just a little tiny bit of more paranoiac atmosphere that surely must have been east Germany at that time. But the unraveling of the story in flashback sequence right up to the clash of events at the end is top notch. For the mature adult audience and cinema lovers this is a must see.
| 9/10 | maxammax@ - 7 reviews 18.10.2011 - age: 36-49 |
It's worthy to see it. It's not the normal spinage movie.
| 8/10 | klodianakondo@ - first review 9.10.2011 - age: 26-35 |
A bit slow to start, but once it gets started it's a good movie with a strong cast. Helen Mirren is not in the movie as much as I hoped, but it's definitely worth seeing.
| 7/10 | sara@ - 64 reviews 5.10.2011 - age: 26-35 |
Excellent script. Excellent acting. Enigmatic and mysterious. Unforeseen surprises surface throughout the movie.
| 8/10 | julianlewin@ - first review 1.10.2011 - age: 50+ |
Overall solid movie until the ending which was a disappointment. Too far-fetched. Chastain is awesome, Mirren solid as always.
| 6/10 | darrylf99@ - first review 1.10.2011 - age: 36-49 |
I did not expect the ending like that. Well done. It was unexpected outcome at the end. Good story line and her acting was excellent.
| 8/10 | lifeandthecity@ - 42 reviews 1.10.2011 - age: 36-49 |
Good movie. It contrubites the sadness going around the jewish and the nazis. Mabye people many not understand because of their religion, as a jewish person, the movie was very sad and exciting. Raters who are rating it are people who came to see the movie, who didn't know a thing about a holocaust or the feeling that the jewish people went through.
| 9/10 | ido_1996@ - first review 30.9.2011 - age: 18-25 |
I always love the premise of something to do with Nazi Germany. Fascinating to me. This movie was a real taught thriller with great drama and excellent performances all around. I found Marton Csokas was the best of all the main characters while Mirren and Worthington had a little trouble giving convincing accents (Worthington hasn't convinced me he can do anything but his native Aussie accent to date) Awesome movie. I loved it.
| 9/10 | god_smack9@ - 249 reviews 30.9.2011 - age: 18-25 |
This movie kept me engaged the whole time. Interesting plot, unpredictable, great acting. Definitely worth seeing, but like all movies of this type (i. e. no big explosives, etc.) you could probably save some money by waiting to watch it at home.
| 7/10 | dancers_love@ - 6 reviews 29.9.2011 - age: 26-35 |
The Debt is a disappointment. The film doesn’t suck by any means and it does provide few exciting moments. But it is extremely predictable, ordinary and ultimately really boring. I honestly blame the story, because while it may sound interesting on paper it needed more excitement or drama added to it. So in summary, I’d say rent or watch the film on a plane.
| 5/10 | nechoplex@ - 20 reviews 29.9.2011 - age: 18-25 |
Good acting and directing. Exaggeration in the story though! Showing Jewish very good and innocent people!
| 8/10 | masood60@ - 2 reviews 28.9.2011 - age: 26-35 |
Well written, well acted, pulsing, sit on the edge of your seat with heart pounding at times. Tough moral issues... go see it!
| 9/10 | melodymackinnon@ - 2 reviews 24.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
First half of the movie was plodding with some serious 'acting' from the three leads. Improved when Helen Mirren took centre stage in the second half but still nothing special. Can't figure why people keep calling this movie a thriller. I've had more thrills cutting my toenails.
| 5/10 | larsporsena@ - 30 reviews 24.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Excellent thriller based on an Israeli movie. Outstanding performances by both the older cast and the young leads. Movie cuts back and forth from the present day to 1975 East Berlin as 3 Mossad agents try to capture a notorious Nazi criminal. Very suspenseful because we, the audience, are aware that a secret has been held for many years, but we don't know what it is.
| 8/10 | zacjesse2000@ - first review 23.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
I really enjoyed this movie. I had put off seeing it because of some mediocre reviews. Absolutely not typical Hollywood. I really liked the intricate story, diverse characters, plot twists and that it didn't finish with a tidy ending. Hmmm... a bit like real life. A nice break from the usual action packed, punch'em up, glamour actor, perfect ending movies. As I am not familiar with German and Israeli accents, any discrepancies other reviewers noted weren't distracting for me. If you like a slightly different, thoughtful, storytelling movie - go see this one.
| 8/10 | jubles@ - 10 reviews 22.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |
The topic is harrowing as is true of all WWII atrocities and those who perpetrated them, but the acting is consistently superb, the cinematography is very skilled, and the suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat. Best you go with someone whose hand you can grasp because there are several sudden surprises. There is even some romance thrown in, so it has it all. Very high calibre film, although it is, by no means, light entertainment.
| 8/10 | sreakin@ - first review 22.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
This film kept me interested from start to finish. Really enjoyed the young cast and Helen. Loved figuring out the plot. Like the soundtrack too.
| 8/10 | rozzw@ - 85 reviews 21.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Kinda long. Interesting, but looked at my watch a few times.
| 6/10 | bluenoser840@ - 2 reviews 20.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |
An ending that looked like from a Saturday night live episode. Very little action. Could've been done way better.
| 3/10 | petethepriest@ - 3 reviews 20.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |
It was very real. I think it was pretty much how it happened. Very nerve racking for the agents. Not a lot of violence and car chases like some movies.
| 8/10 | mackr5545@ - 2 reviews 19.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
The pace is a bit slow but the twists are good and Jespersen makes for a creepy bad guy. I think some of the negative reviews here are missing the point: that even in bringing truly awful people to justice there is often a price to be paid for seeing it done, or even in trying to see it done. Not that one shouldn't but there will be real costs.
| 7/10 | karcjh@ - 31 reviews 18.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |
Went to see this without any prior knowledge about film. At first I was confused but quickly became engaged. Excellent acting, didn't care for some of the violence, sets were very realistic. All in all a good movie.
| 7/10 | vickilou52@ - 14 reviews 18.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Slow, jerky script, too much replying the past, too much redoing the same scenes, and way, way too dark and morose.
| 3/10 | thelion@ - first review 17.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Such amazing acting and a compelling story. It's nice to have a female hero once in a while (hate the word heroine) and she does an amazing job.
| 9/10 | moviegoer@ - first review 16.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
The performance is good, but the story is not realistic. Nazi criminal at that time could not find a shelter in East Germany and in Kiev after. Former USSR had very strict and severe attitude to such kind of crimes and such a person would be transfered in Israel on its demend.
| 6/10 | yurikim@ - first review 15.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Apparently based in fact. However it was brought to the screen in a manner that its history was irrelevant. The expositions were terrible and the individual characterizations were shallow beyond belief. Helen Mirren deserves kudos for just agreeing to do this film.
| 5/10 | m.j.brown@ - 263 reviews 15.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Very well acted. My Mother and I both really enjoyed it. Better for a mature audience.
| 8/10 | allburnedout@ - 17 reviews 15.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Truly engaging, suspenseful and well acted. Good examination of the banality of evil and the response of dedicated good guys to it.
| 8/10 | mackenz1@ - 2 reviews 15.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
An intriguing storyline and with excellent pace, but this movie was RUINED by the horrible and inconsistent accents of almost all the actors. I just don't know what they were thinking. Obviously, they either didn't know what an Israeli accent should sound like, or the actors just couldn't pull it off. At times the accents sounded Russian and at times British. It was just so distracting, I couldn't enjoy the movie. Even the German doctor, when he was speaking English, didn't have a correct German accent. How difficult would it have been to find a German actor to play this part. If you can ignore this aspect of the movie, you'll probably enjoy it a lot more.
| 6/10 | prose@ - 36 reviews 14.9.2011 - age: 50+ - One reply |
This is an engaging movie that works on several levels. It's an intricate plot that spans several tome periods but the director pulls in together for a coherent trip to the movies. I highly recommend it.
| 9/10 | highlandheart68@ - 16 reviews 13.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |
Not what I was expecting but a good well-acted movie nonetheless, I'm sure this movie hits home more for some than others, it's very emotionally packed... worth seing.
| 7/10 | joblagdon@ - 238 reviews 12.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
Given the desperate times of the Jewish people seeking justice to ease their pain, I thought the personalities of the four main characters were very well explaned which drove them all to feel, behave they way they did. Human character was displayed at every level is a grim reminder of how we may all act or react when faced with life crisis dictated by the present circumstances. A great story telling of the atrocities of the war.
| 7/10 | wdnhearttelus.net@ - 2 reviews 11.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
I really thought this movie was well done except the ending. Not because it didn't hang together (it did, you just had to pay attention) but because it was unsatisfying. I would have liked a resolution. Focus Films doesn't make bad movies and they didn't here either but it demands the audience to live with a very uncomfortable and sudden end to the film. It would have been an 8 if not for that.
| 6/10 | dannimac@ - 66 reviews 11.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |
This was a good movie. I guess if you are not into using the brain and want 100 minutes of non stop DUKE NUKEM no brain violence... then I guess this one won't appeal to you. I'd say a very goo film... better than most of the trash out there today.
| 8/10 | drs.@ - 219 reviews 10.9.2011 - age: 50+ |
The acting was spot-on by all characters. I felt that in the beginning there were to many jumps back and forth, from the 60's to the 90's. An audience would have problems aligning the past characters with the 90's characters. This movie is not suited for anyone 21 years of age or younger. The plot requires a patient audience with some knowledge of the Hollocaust or the middle East. I wasn't sure if the director intentionally made things slow-moving to ramp up the intensity, but I felt that the movie did dragon in parts needlessly. It is not a movie that you can wander in and out of as when one watches a DVD. This movie requires your full attention from beginning to end. However when it ends you are left with the obvious question: Was this worth the wait? For a movie buff you might say "Yes" but in today's market most would not enjoy the movie. But certainly the actors were magnificent. If you enjoy watching a performer perform then this is a great movie.
| 6/10 | psterl3384@ - 123 reviews 10.9.2011 - age: 36-49 |