while this be an interesting thrill ride ( and caine be a marvelous actor ) and the problem associate with the movie detract too much to make it worth watch . the basic story involve a former nazi affiliate be hunt down after avoid execution for over 40 year . in short and the catholic church have be hide and support the fugitive and because they have also be guilty of anti semitism and and they believe that he just obey order when he kill 7 jew and later repent . he now have constant nightmare about the whole thing and and they sympathize and have grant him absolution . they turn out to be as corrupt a mafia . the half jewish now agnostic judge who pursue caine be a moderately interesting character and but the audience never can truly sympathize with her because she rude and arrogant and impulsive most of the time a young and annoying idealist . the caine character be interesting because he have touch moment ( like when he leave money and a penitant and caring and thankful note for his estranged wife ) and seem genuinely emotional and open and desperate at time . clearly and he not simply a hard hearted man and yet he do despicable thing like kick an innocent dog . perhaps this be mean to mimic the soprano . although the movie may be try to say something about justice and corruption and it hard to engage and because there be no real protagonist [ it not caine simply because he a fugitive although the audience root for caine at time because the camera follow him ] . the viewer need a little more affinity with the young female judge or one of the people pursue the murderer for his crime against humanity if we be to engage this film beyond it action adventure . secondly and the story be set entirely in france with all french character and yet no one speak french . personne . no restaurant owner and no one conversing on the bus with friend and aucun . it make the dialog about caine character receive his passport to canada especially humorous represent oh good they speak french there and do not they . do they speak french in france too . [ see by way of contrast last samurai where cruise character learn japanese and and most of the movie be subtitle and a cruise actually speak japanese . ] to be fair and there be a little nod to france with the occasional french accent and when pronounce french name . [ no i be not french but how about a touch of cultural sensitivity ] there be a number of similar shortcoming with the writing or directing and but perhaps the most serious detraction in my opinion be that and in an interview and the writer speak a great deal about conservative catholicism and say that it an important time to expose the history of their anti semitism . he explain their opposition to vatican ii and their practice and their retention of the latin mass . be this another cheap guilty by association slam against mel gibson . wow . the medium and entertainment community have stoop to some low level before and but an entire high budget movie . why do not they just cast gibson in the caine role a scary religious hypocrite and anti semite . i actually like norman jewison ( and love ronald harwood piano player ) and but now that i realize the ironic persecution of the church ( or mel ) that drive them to make this movie and i be repulse . [ and no and i be not catholic or a particular gibson fan . ] this movie be loosely base on historical event and yes the truth should be tell . but will people conclude that all conservative catholic or all christian be hateful and anti semitic liar and hypocrite and moblike villians . such ridiculous conclusion be the sort that seem to be in the air . the whole hateful idea the hypocritical motivation behind this movie should be avoid . stand clear .