Review of Munich (2005) by Brian M — 07 May 2011

I rewrote my original review of "Munich" after the assassination of Osama Bin Laden, and my subsequent realization that this film contains several themes, still relevant 6 years after it's release. It is the ultimate achievement in cinema for an artist to create a work with a theme that is so universal, that it is always relevant. Munich definitely ranks among Spielberg's best, and that is truly high praise. This film is intense, cathartic, bloody, suspenseful, and superb.

Munich opens with the gut-wrenching attack at the Munich Olympics, a scene in and of itself which would make an excellent film. But Spielberg, however, had bigger plans for this story. It was not so much about who died at Munich as it was about how Israel responded to this. Now, I am neither Israeli or Palestinian, so I come from a perspective where I can look at the real world conflict portrayed in this film objectively, and not try to take sides. It must have been immensely difficult for Spielberg to tackle this potentially extremely controversial subject, after becoming one of the most influential Jews in the film industry. He provides an objective look at the material, perspectives from all sides, and asks us as to whether any of them are justified. The main conflict around the film is not dealt out by villains and heroes, but by people, one of whom, Avner (Eric Bana), eventually realizes what Spielberg has realized about the conflict; that killing will never bring peace.

The central characters of the film are a group of five people, all with specific skills, who have been assigned by Mossad to unofficially eliminate the eleven people who are (supposedly) responsible for Munich. The leader of the five is an ordinary Yekke named Avner, to whom Eric Bana brings a strong emotional humanity. All of the other members of the team are excellent, including Daniel Craig as a gung-ho getaway guy, Hanns Zischler as a cool headed document forger, Mathieu Kassovitz as a questionably competent bomb maker, and Ciaran Hinds as a "clean up" man with experience in the army. All of these actors, and an extremely competent screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, make sure these characters don't fall into stereotypes or archetypes.

It has come to my attention that so many film depict morally reprehensible acts performed by its main characters. Spielberg proves that immorality is acceptable in film when it is part of the philosophy behind the film. One of the most interesting aspects of this film is the increasing desperation with which they hunt down their targets, trying harder and harder to make a difference, while Black September responds by attacking Embassies and commercial airlines.

The look of the film is what elevates it to an even higher plane than "hollywood entertainment". That Janusz Kaminsky shot this all on film, gives it a gritty, realistic feel. Every time someone gets shot in this film, We do not see fake blood spewing out of Tarrantino targets, but actual people with holes in their bodies, dying in agony. Spielberg accomplishes again what he accomplished with Schindler's list, and, to a lesser extent, Saving Private Ryan, in that he creates a world that feels real and not contrived in the abject horror of the violence, and the non-theatricality of the characters.

Overall, a film that bears an eerie similarity with our current times, It works on every emotional, intellectual, and visceral aspect. Two thumbs way Up!