What separates this account of the counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission that ended on July 4, 1976 from the two made-for-TV versions that came out within a year of the hijacking is elementary. If the focus is on the all-star cast of passengers, it’s a disaster picture. If the story is told through the eyes of the villains — this telling paints baddies Rosamund Pike and Daniel Brühl in a surprisingly sympathetic light — it’s a thriller. Even in these solemn surroundings moments of unintentional camp seep through. For cheap laughs, check out Pike’s assertion that she’s a revolutionary first, a woman second or Ugandan zany Idi Amin (Nonso Anozie) addressing the passengers as though they were tourists on vacation. And how ‘bout those stewardesses who keep serving in mid-abduction? If given the choice, I’d track down Irvin Kershner’s superior Raid on Entebbe starring Charles Bronson. (2018) — Scott Marks
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