In 1970s Israeli film director and producer Menahem Golan made a number action films and thrillers based on recent real events. One of the more successful was Operation Thunderbolt, reconstruction of spectacular 1976 Israeli commando raid in Uganda which had successfully ended one of the worst hostage crisis of the period. Two decades later Golan tried to do the same with similar event that occurred in Lima and the result was 1999 film Lima: Breaking the Silence.
The plot begins in 1996 when American journalist Bruce Nelson (played by Bentley Mitchum) wants to write an article about the unstable political situation in Peru. In order to gather as much information as possible, he gets in contact with Hector Carpa (played by Darren Foy), leader of MRTA, radical leftist group that wants to bring down authoritarian regime of President Fujimori. Bruce is quite naive and gives information about the meeting to Jeff (played by Christopher Atkins), friend who works for CIA. While returning to Peru, Carpa is arrested by Peruvian secret police led by cruel General Montesinos (played by Billy Drago) and sent to jungle prison. His comrades organise rescue mission, which is successful, but in the process more MRTA militants are captured, including Carpa’s girlfriend Elena (played by Julie St. Clare). This makes MRTA launch even more daring action which should force government to release prisoners and bring world’s attention to their cause. On Christmas Eve 1996 militants infiltrate residence of Japanese ambassador in Lima during party and take hundreds of hostages. This is the beginning of the siege that would last for weeks and become one of the most talked about events of its time.
Golan made this film shortly before 9/11 and thus enjoyed luxury of being able to portray phenomenon of terrorism with more nuance. In case of Lima: Breaking the Silence, perpetrators of one of the most spectacular terrorist acts of 1990s are shown as noble idealists rather than bloodthirsty and dangerous fanatics, while Peruvian security services and their US government backers are clearly shown as villains. Golan’s complete turnaround from the ideological parameters he had used in Cannon Group films during Reagan era is, however, the only interesting thing about the film. In everything else Lima: Breaking the Silence looks like a cheap and hastily done exploitation film. Script is bad, actors look inexperienced (with exception of Billy Drago and Richard Lynch, who plays Irish ambassador) and Bulgarian locations aren’t particularly convincing when standing for Peru. Golan manages to stuff months long siege into hour and half of running time, so Lima: Breaking the Silence is watchable film, but at the end of the day it can be recommended only as curiosity.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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