Raid on Entebbe

Heroic jingoism and some sentimental moments aside, this version of the Israeli raid on Entebbe airport (shot as a TV special and considerably better than Victory at Entebbe), catches a good deal of the breathless excitement of the first media reports of that made-for-the-movies military operation. Predictably, no time is wasted on the PFLP's version of events, though suave Horst Buchholz, leader of the unattractive kidnappers, is allowed one moment of humanity when he finally declines to blow up the prisoners. Resisting his recent propensity for effects, Kershner adopts a sensibly straightforward approach to Barry Beckerman's boiled-down and politically low-key narrative. In this he is self-effacingly assisted by his well-cast stars (avoiding caricature, Yaphet Kotto gives a notably intelligent and charismatic impersonation of Amin).