“Probably just another Sunday driver.” —Noel Holcroft
Today’s quick review: The Holcroft Covenant. Noel Holcroft (Michael Caine), an architect living in New York, learns that his father, a German general, embezzled $4.5 billion from the Nazi regime and left it to Noel to distribute as reparations. But to access the money, Noel needs to find the heirs of his father’s partners, beginning with Johann Tennyson (Anthony Andrews) and his sister Helden (Victoria Tennant).
The Holcroft Covenant is a crime thriller based on the novel by Robert Ludlum. Michael Caine stars as Noel Holcroft, an ordinary man swept up in a web of murder and intrigue when he inherits a Nazi fortune. Hunted by assassins and unsure of whom to trust, Noel must rely on his wits to stay alive. The movie features a decent setup and a healthy serving of espionage, but its overall execution leaves something to be desired.
The Holcroft Covenant has the makings of an engrossing thriller, but it handles its mystery poorly. Instead of unfolding its plot gradually, with only one or two open questions at a time, the movie tosses Noel in the deep end, with around half a dozen parties interested in killing him, protecting him, getting him to sign for his inheritance, or keeping him from doing so. To make matters worse, none of these parties are especially trustworthy.
As a result, The Holcroft Covenant doesn’t have a foundation to biuld on when it comes to its plot twists and mysteries. Too much of the setup relies on uncertainty. The truth of Noel’s inheritance, the question of who wants him dead, and the secrets kept by his parents are all intriguing questions that fall flat because there are too many unknowns. Finally, when the answers do come, they are poorly motivated and cannot hold the story together.
The Holcroft Covenant is a swing and a miss for fans of espionage and thrillers. The plot tinkers with some good ideas, and it has one or two plot twists for viewers who are willing to invest in it. But the way these things play out in practice shows none of the tension and finesse associated with the genre, making The Holcroft Covenant an easy movie to miss.
For another Michael Caine thriller about the legacy of Nazi regime, try The Statement. For an artistic noir thriller in the same vein, try The Third Man.
[5.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089283/). I give it a 6.0 for lackluster execution of a serviceable premise.