Eyal, an Israeli Mossad agent, is given the mission to track down and kill the very old Alfred Himmelman, an ex-Nazi officer, who might still be alive. Pretending to be a tourist guide, he befriends his grandson Axel, in Israel to visit his sister Pia. The two men set out on a tour of the country, during which Axel challenges Eyal's values.
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Reviews
Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.
The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
"Walk on Water" from 2004 is the story of two men from different cultures. Eyal is an Israeli Mossad agent, and his assignment is to locate an old Nazi officer, Alfred Himmelman, and kill him. Though he's supposed to be dead, there is intelligence that he is still alive. Eyal is emotionally closed off. He is the child of a Holocaust survivor, and his wife has recently committed suicide. In the beginning of the film, we see him murder a major figure in Hamas.He objects strenuously to his latest assignment, which is to locate an old Nazi, Alfred Himmelman, and kill him. This means he has to go undercover and befriend Himmelman's grandson, a gay German. At one point, Axel suggests that Eyal visit Germany, and Eyal tells him that's not going to happen. Axel is in Israel to see his sister Pia. Eyal's cover is that of a tourist guide. As the story unfolds, both men learn a lot about themselves and each other, and how their cultures have influenced them. The friendship they develop changes both men.This is surprisingly a low-key film, with the characters acting very naturally. Lior Ashkenazi is excellent as Eyal, as is Knut Berger as Axel. As a result, the characters come across as very real and it makes the story believable.The director, Eytan Fox, worked with the writer Gal Uchovsky to create two men so diametrically different, it's impossible to think that they could be friends.There are some very powerful scenes, particularly the one in Axel's home. I imagine a lot of people don't like the ending, which seems pat, but I liked it anyway. Thought-provoking film, well acted, well directed, and well photographed.
Walk on Water is a film worth catching. The plot of the Mossad man asked to go undercover to watch the German grandson and Kibbutzim granddaughter of a major Nazi is already fascinating - but the script and acting delivers massively in making this more than simply a drama. It would be wrong to even label it a thriller - it is a complex, yet beautiful piece, with a good sense of pace, that centers around a variety of themes involving identity and international belonging.The wider notions of culture and identity and even sexuality that are raised here are both poignant and interesting. It is a film that is easy to watch, but raises at the same time interesting questions while you're watching it. The mix of tourism, kibbutzim, police work, and the city life coupled with the contrast between the individuals makes this a satisfying watch.All in all this Israeli production shines with intelligence, good drama, and a sense of values that not inherently obvious invade and stay after the credits roll. Recommended.
Walk on Water is summarised well in many reviews. Some of them avow and generate extremes by using terms like "Terrorist". The film grapples with extremes of prejudice. The Mossad agent Eyal (Lior Ashkenazi) assassinates a Hamas leader at the start of the film returning home to find his wife has committed suicide. Eyal is detached. He has to be to do his job. His boss Menachem gives him a safer temporary job of pretending to be a tour guide for the grandchildren of a Nazi war criminal, Alfred Himmelman, with the idea that the tourists will lead him to their grandfather.This German brother and sister with their own issues open up the eyes of Eyal to his own prejudices; he is challenged by Axel Himmelmans (Knut Berger) sexuality. He is also challenged by Axel's sister Pia (Carolina Peters), a German lass who lives and works on a kibbutz in Israel.I saw this film on television. I chanced upon it with no reviews or prior knowledge and got quite gripped by the tensions of the main character. Other reviewers have said that Lior Ashkenazi is an attractive actor.What intrigued me was the struggle to let go of being hurt. I've been working with a couple who can't let go of their anger with each other; of the hurt that comes through being violated in different ways. I'm not sure that love overcomes everything is quite the answer. I'm not sure that this film answers that question although it does highlight it so well.It felt like a film in black and white; lots of deep shadows and in the end...well go see and decide
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was entertaining, educational, and thought provoking... enough so for me to register with IMDb and write about it here.This film takes on a multitude of social issues, some of them very superficially. However, because it has a solid plot, excellent character development, and top-notch acting, I found myself engrossed in the film.The only downside of the film is that it asks many many questions, but only really examines one or two of them. It might have been better to not confuse the theme of the film by introducing so many issues. But, for whatever reason, it works.This film touches on Israeli-German relations, Israeli-Arab relations, homosexual relationships, heterosexual relationships, marriage and family life, terrorism-counterterrorism, and generational conflict. Of these, it really examines Israeli-German relations and homosexual relationships in most detail and leaves a lot of open questions on the other issues.If you're thinking at this point that the film sounds like it might be a bit too heavy, think again. It does a good job of providing you with an entertaining experience while masterfully weaving in each of these issues. I would highly recommend it.