‘Amsterdam’: An excellent cast does not quite elevate this period thriller

CHENNAI: Decades later, World War I and II stories are as enthralling as ever — and “Amsterdam” is yet another title that offers its take on the inter-war years.

David O. Russell’s crime caper is set in the 1930s and earlier, when the war clouds were gathering over Europe.

Headlined by no less an actor than Christian Bale (in his third outing with Russell after “American Hustle” and “The Fighter”), the film catches your eye with a series of close-ups and long lens work, courtesy of cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.