However, from a historical accuracy perspective, the film is rigorous. The filmmakers consulted with survivors, including the late hostage Ilan Hartuv, who served as a consultant. The details of the terminal—the dirty tiles, the flies, the separation of Jewish hostages from non-Jewish ones (which the hijackers did to pressure Israel)—are painfully accurate.
A short drive away lies the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, established in 1898. This is a haven for birdwatchers and botanists. Walking through the manicured lanes, you will see towering trees labeled with their scientific names, some of which were used in early malaria experiments. Keep your eyes peeled for the black-and-white colobus monkeys leaping through the canopy. The gardens offer a peaceful, shaded retreat from the midday sun, with sections dedicated to medicinal plants, orchids, and cassava varieties.
lukewarm to negative reviews from critics and audiences alike
ends with a text scroll listing the dead. It notes the number of Ugandans, Israelis, and Germans. It does not cheer. It mourns. 7 Days in Entebbe
When travelers touch down at Entebbe International Airport, most view the city as merely a transit hub—a waiting room before the gorilla trekking in Bwindi or the savannah safaris in Murchison Falls. They collect their luggage, greet their drivers, and speed off toward Kampala or beyond.
The crisis began when an Air France flight traveling from Tel Aviv to Paris, with a stopover in Athens, was seized by four terrorists shortly after takeoff. The group consisted of:
The one major deviation is the characterization of Idi Amin. In reality, Amin was a volatile, charismatic buffoon. In he is reduced to a cartoonish background figure. This was likely a decision to keep focus on the German and Israeli psychological drama, but it feels like a missed opportunity. However, from a historical accuracy perspective, the film
A noble failure. Viewers seeking a tense, historically accurate retelling of the rescue will likely be frustrated. Those interested in a morally complex, character-driven drama about the psychology of terrorism and counter-terrorism may find it a thought-provoking, if flawed, experience. It is best watched as a companion piece to, rather than a replacement for, the more straightforward 1977 film Raid on Entebbe or the documentary Operation Thunderbolt .
The hijackers, led by the notorious Wilfried Böse and Brigitte Kuhlmann, diverted the plane to Entebbe, Uganda. There, they were welcomed by the country’s infamous dictator, Idi Amin, who provided them with troops and legitimacy. The terrorists demanded the release of 40 Palestinian militants held in Israeli prisons, along with 13 other detainees in Kenya, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Their deadline: July 1st, later extended to July 4th.
90 Minutes in Entebbe: The Story of the Invasion ... - Facebook A short drive away lies the Entebbe Botanical
Watch for the action. But stay for the ache. It remains one of the most misunderstood war films of the 21st century—a film that knows that to truly honor the hostages, you must remember not just the rescue, but the terror of the waiting.
In a firefight lasting 90 minutes, they killed all seven hijackers and roughly 45 Ugandan soldiers. Three hostages were killed in the crossfire, and one—Dora Bloch—was later murdered by Ugandan officers in a Kampala hospital. The Israeli commander, Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, was killed, becoming the operation’s only military fatality. His brother, Benjamin Netanyahu, would later become Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister.
: Critics from Vox Magazine noted how the movie focuses on the conflicting human compassion and political radicalism of the German hijackers, Wilfried Bose and Brigitte Kuhlmann.