We're coming up on an interesting time at the box office. While Black Panther has dominated for close to a month, there is a slew of interesting new projects coming out in theaters. While Tomb Raider will no doubt provide some fun action to moviegoers, 7 Days in Entebbe is a decidedly more serious drama. The new film, directed by José Padilha, tells the story of infamous 1976 hijacking of Air France Flight 139, and the week long standoff that followed. The film also makes a bold choice by having a choreographed dance sequence framing the narrative. I recently spoke with actor Daniel Bruhl (Captain America: Civil War, Inglorious Basterds) who stars as terrorist Wilfried Böse. When asked about the dance, Bruhl spoke to what it represented in the film.
To show the pain and processing-- everything that conflict involves. Not only by telling the military mission; we've seen a lot of shoot outs and raids in film history. They thought this was not enough, and they were combining it with that highly emotional dance. That gives a lot of possibility for interpretation, and a very thought provoking moment in the film. So I like it a lot.
It looks like Daniel Bruhl is particularly fond of the dance sequence in 7 Days in Entebbe, as it allows the film to bring something new to the tale of the infamous real-life hijacking.
Indeed, there have already been three film adaptations about the event, and the week hostages spent in Entebbe, Uganda. The first two were American TV movies, titled Victory in Entebbe and Raid on Entebbe respectively. Additionally, an Israeli film titled Operation Thunderbolt also told the story, although it has since faded from the pop culture lexicon. The use of a dance piece is just one way that 7 Days in Entebbe attempt to set itself apart from the past adaptations, in addition to the way it focused on the large cast of characters.
7 Days In Entebbe doesn't simply follow the events around the hijacking and taking of hostages back in 1976. Rather than only focusing on the likes of Daniel Bruhl's Wilfred Bose and Rosamund Pike's Brigitte Kuhlmann, the new movie includes a wide variety of real life figures who factors into the events. This includes Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and his cabinet, soldiers involved in the raid, the passengers, and those simply watching the events on the news.
Through the entirety of 7 Days in Entebbe, there is a dance piece being shown to the audience. The wild dancing helps to highlight the terrifying nature of the situation, as well as the overall political ramifications of the hijacking. It bookends the piece, and allows for some of the more alarmingly powerful moments of the film.
7 Days in Entebbe is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
