Operation Finale, opening in theaters on Wednesday August 29

We were provided tickets to see the film-all thoughts are our own. I’m a history buff. I’m also a movie guy. I’m always optimistic when a film comes out that is truly based on actual historic events comes out. I want it to be good, but too often my hopes are dashed by one thing or another. Operation Finale opens in movie theaters on August 29. It’s the true story of the hunt for Adolf Eichmann after WWII.

I remember his name from world history and in reading the film synopsis it triggered even more of my studies. Essentially, Eichmann was Hitler’s right hand man who single handedly oversaw the execution of millions of Jews in WWII as part of the Holocaust. Fifteen years after the end of WWII there is strong, irrefutable intelligence stating that Eichmann was alive and living in Argentina.

A top-secret team of Israeli agents travel to Argentina to observe and to confirm that he is indeed the same person that oversaw the atrocities in Germany over a decade ago. This team is not tasked with killing him, rather, they want to prove that it’s him and then take him to Israel so that he can stand trail there.

This is a fascinating story made even more powerful because it’s true. Factor in that Sir Ben Kingsley is Eichmann, Oscar Isaac is the lead Israeli agent tasked with the work of confirming things and this looks like captivating, historical non-fiction at its best. Operation Finale is rated PG-13 for thematic content, some related images and language.

My inner history geek is hoping that they stick close to the facts. However, even Saving Private Ryan was mostly true-and that was a classic film that stuck mainly to true events and still holds up well. What about you? Is Operation Finale on your watch list? If it is, please let us know why it is, why it isn’t or how you liked it.