Raid on Entebbe (1976)

Simply Perfect

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I enjoyed the almost documentary-like depiction of this dramatic rescue, which was notable for its lack of over-sentimentality in the midst of a highly emotional crisis.The casting was effective yet unusual, as hostage-takers and passengers alike came from many nationalities, but no attempt was made to have verisimilitude at that level. It didn't matter much; nearly all the characters were believable.Surprisingly, striking elements of the real-life story and rescue were highly dramatic but left out of this film version for no discernible reason. For example, the Israelis' plane had to fly less than 100 feet above the Red Sea, under the radar of nearby enemy countries, on the approach to Uganda. The elderly woman taken to the hospital had in reality been traveling with her son, who had no choice but to poignantly abandon her there. And the rescuers simulated the approach of Amin in their creep-up to the terminal, to the point of bringing their own stretch limousine, in a plan that went haywire when a Ugandan soldier noticed something was awry.Despite such elements, the film worked for me. Its use of Hebrew songs and a painterly final frame were lovely details.In all, a pretty satisfying film experience about a hideous incident.

We know this is based upon true dramatic accounts, and while it does a good job in presenting it, but as for it being entertaining. I have to agree with another user-commenter that the film can at times feel plain in the portrayal of the situation. The rhythm can get bumpy and some sequences look blurry, but this could associate to it being a made-for-television feature. Still it stayed interesting enough, despite how the blunt story unfolds with its questions on the political stance, or the morality of innocent life. Even the cautious script felt kind of sub-par. The biggest draw card here though, has to be the well-ensemble cast (even though it doesn't match the one in "Victory at Entebbe") featuring Peter Finch, Charles Bronson, Sylvia Sidney, Jack Warden, John Saxon, Tige Andrews, Robert Loggia, James Wood and a cheery Yaphet Kotto puts a show on whenever on screen. No one really draws much impact because the focus in more in the story than star presences, but the appealing Finch, Bronson, Kotto, Sidney and Loggia are credibly good in their roles. Director Irvin Kershner mechanically lets it slowly boil down; concentrating on a realistic air (well detailed production design) and then goes onto unleash an intensely bold combat climax. David Shire accordingly composes a strong, forward musical piece filled with spirit, and unease.

I remember this very well because it was in the mid 1970's, while I was a child and lived in Nairobi, that one night I went to the Airport, which at that time was Embakassi Airport, which is situated to the now new Airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with my parents to drop off one of our family members. At that time they had a terminal, a waving base on which the members of the public could go and sit and watch the passengers board aircraft as well as watch aircrafts land and take off. After about 11.00pm, while waiting and sitting around, I noticed a change in the area where the aircrafts were parked and taking in passengers as well as letting them off. No aircrafts were either taking off or landing and that there were several vehicles preparing and heading towards the end of the runway. Suddenly there was loud noise and they were not those of civilian aircrafts and the noise was deafening as a few, what seemed to be Hercules type planes, landed and soon came to a halt at the end of the runway. But only one came near the passenger terminal and was met by an ambulance. An hour later, they took off into the darkness. The markings could not be read.The next day, it was on all the news papers that there had been a "Raid At Entebee Airport" by Israeli Commandos to free the passengers that had been held as hostages from an Civilian aircraft that had been high jacked weeks before and landed in the Ugandan capital I, then had the opportunity to watch this excellent movie on the TV, and starred one of my old time favourite action actors, Charles Bronson, as one of the Commandos.The movie is still worthwhile watching and if at all possible, one should try to read the book, "Operation Thunderbolt," which was the code name for this.

Considering that this movie was made in 1977, surrounding events that happened not to long ago from then, I would certainly place it in a higher position than it currently is. With regards to authenticity, the Israeli and Mossad PR department seems to given full cooperation when it came to all the details surrounding the event because absolutely nothing seemed out of place in the sets. Every piece of equipment, uniform and aircraft were surprisingly authentic. All this would have been useless without a proper cast and the same is most certainly delivered. There isn't a lot of action until the climax but even the slower sequences will keep you gripped until that arrives. This movie is very detailed, realistic and authentic and would be classified as a must watch in my book.