Jose Padilha earned his reputation for his gritty, intense urban action dramas like “Elite Squad” and “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within.” Now he’s back with “7 Days In Entebbe” starring Rosamund Pike and Daniel Bruhl in the true story of four hijackers, who in 1976, diverted a plane to Uganda, and demanded the freedom of Palestinian prisoners. Here’s the official synopsis:
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A gripping political thriller inspired by the true events of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight en route from Tel Aviv to Paris, the film depicts the most daring rescue mission ever attempted. The film brings the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine into focus by recounting the heroic military mission while also exploring the nuanced perspectives of both sides. Forty years after the event that gripped the world, its consequences are still be discussed. As The Guardian wrote last spring, “Entebbe would become a byword for military daring…A raid that lasted a total of 99 minutes would live on for decades.”
Padilha hasn’t made a feature film since the big-budget misfire reboot “Robocop”, later lamenting he spent much of the production fighting with studio executives. He did direct some of Netflix’s “Narcos,” but he looks to be returning to the gritty filmmaking that made him a name. The script was written by Greg Burke, the pen behind the excellent “‘71”.
In addition to Pike and Bruhl, “7 Days In Entebbe” co-stars Ben Schnetzer, Eddie Marsan and Denis Ménochet. Focus Features will release the film on March 16, 2018.
