Movie reviews: 7 Days In Entebbe, The Leisure Seeker
7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE (PG13) -2 Ticks
Based on the real-life 1976 hijacking of Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv to Paris and the rescue mission that followed in Entebbe, Uganda, this movie tries to do it all.
Its perspective draws from all arenas involved in the saga, but its focus is on anti-Israeli German terrorists Brigitte Kuhlmann (Rosamund Pike) and Wilfried Bose (Daniel Bruhl).
The trailer makes you expect a film jam-packed with shoot-outs, but you will be disappointed by the lack of actual action.
Instead, 7 Days In Entebbe feels like an underwhelming historical documentary rather than the gripping crime thriller it was marketed as.
It is a far cry from director Jose Padilha's brilliant TV series Narcos, which does both equally well.
Brigitte becomes increasingly unhinged as the episode drags on, so it is the level-headed Wilfried who appears more sympathetic. The film does not justify the actions of terrorists, but we are offered a glimpse into their motivations.
Despite such interesting source material, it fails to deliver a worthy cinematic retelling of what went down at Entebbe. - ETHAN LEUNG
THE LEISURE SEEKER (M18) - 2.5 Ticks
Putting Helen Mirren behind a 1970s recreational vehicle (RV) nicknamed Leisure Seeker sounds like a fun ride. Pair her with Donald Sutherland and you should get a home run.
Sadly, what sounds good on paper does not necessarily translate well onto the big screen.
They play ailing long-married couple Ella and John. She is suffering from cancer and is in constant pain, while he is slowly succumbing to Alzheimer's.
Both run away from home to embark on a road trip to Key West, Florida, to visit Ernest Hemingway's home as John is a Hemingway expert.
Apart from the time when John drives off without Ella after refuelling the RV and their flat tyre experience when they are held up by a pair of young men, the story is pretty much a bore.
However, the moments where Ella helps John remember their past by projecting old family slides are sweet and tender.
The veteran actors give their best, but they alone are unable to drive this plodding dramedy forward. - JOANNE SOH
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