Munich Reviews

Tit for Tat in a war that may see no end

The Jewish / Palestinian conflict has been raging since 1947 and the episode in Munich with the massacre of the Israeli Olympic team back in '72 is just one chapter from this sorry affair. The film Munich is both powerful and depressing because it addresses the contradictory solution of using violence to end violence. An unofficial Israeli hit squad is led by Avner (Eric Bana) and they have to assassinate one by one the Palestinian perpetrators of the Munich massacre. However as their targets each meet a grisly death the assassinations begin to question their own sanity and moral justification that what they are doing makes any sense. The film is not biased in any way as Speilberg does allow the Palestinians a voice to put across their case. Similarly he also focuses on the Jews who have to live with the consequences that so long as they harbour the Palestinians as sub human they have to live with the consequences. Hatred begets hatred. Munich ends on the note that neither side has the high moral ground.

The film does not quite work as a thriller because the assassination set ups become boring by the third target and you know what will come next. It is also about thirty minutes too long but it is difficult to see how any of it could have been trimmed as their is so much too cram in. The acting is very good by all especially Eric Bana who is growing in stature with every film. There are some nice shots by Speilberg and the sound is excellent. Some scenes are very tense and exciting such as the stand off with the PLO in a Greek hotel whilst others can almost send you asleep. The Seventies is wonderfully recreated even if some of the sets (especially London) look a little obvious. Munich is probably Speilberg's bravest movie since Schindler's List and for that he must be commended. Don't let anyone else make up your mind as to whether it is pro or anti Jewish. Go see it and make your own mind up because it is definitely worth watching.

Possibly Speilberg's best?

Saw this film last night at a preview and I can't stop thinking about it!

This film is a true masterpiece and well worth the wait! After leaving the cinema I almost felt nervous- the film really gets inside your head- a bit like Hitchcock gets inside your head in 'Rear Window'. The film is dimly lit in many places, which gives this thriller a very dark edge, but still bringing home the realism of terrorism within today’s society- especially during the last scene in New York, where there's a really poignant shot of the World Trade Centre.

The film dives right into the story and has you hooked from the first scene. The cast is great- Eric Bana plays the part of Anvar fantastically and really emotional and Geoffrey Rush is really stern as Ephraim.

This film will stay with you for ever and could be watched over and over again to find something new to appreciate.

7 out of 7, plus another 7!

[Highly rated reviewer]

Disappointment

'Munich' wasn't a bad film, but all the build up for it left me wanting.

The film builds a plausible story around the basic facts that Israeli athletes killed in Munich and that known/suspected plotters of the attacks were hunted down. Spielberg, himself, says this is a story not a documentary - we don't actually know what happened.

The story, though, is repetitious and fails to build suspense. Spielberg knows how to tell a riveting story where the outcome is already known (e.g., Schindlers List), but he didn't do it here. This story became a monotony of assassinations with minor twists thrown in.

Spielberg does succeed in putting a human face on what is almost universally seen as mindless violence in the Middle East. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians emerge from this film as heroes or villains. Munich suggests there are reasons for what goes on, I'm just not sure I believe the suggestions.

Munich puts some important thought processes in motion for its viewers and the acting was good. Unfortunately the story fails and left disappointment in its wake.

A whimper, not a bang.

Munich is a curiously uninvolving affair, and for my money by far the weakest Spielberg non-blockbuster movie that he's done.

Bana stars as a Mossad agent who is taken 'off the books' after the dreadful Munich Olympics massacre of the Israeli team by Black September, purely to meet revenge on the perpetrators of what was a quite appalling crime. With direct approval from Golda Meir and with a team of 4 specialists, it's Bana's job to find and kill 11 people connected to the Munich atrocity.

So far, so intriguing.

But it's Spielbergs absolute utter refusal to be anything less than fully even handed that scuppers any of the films dramatic tension. It's simply a repetitive structure of Bana having someone killed, feeling awful regret about it (tempered by a flashback to the Munich siege, which he wasn't even involved with, to motivate him) finding the next person, killing them, feeling bad about it, finding the next person... well, you get the picture.

Even a late starter subplot, where it looks like the person selling information to Bana may well have sold information about him to the Palestinians fails to ignite any real interest.

And the exposition - good lord, it's heavy on the exposition. About three quarters of the way through there's a speech from one of the team outlining pretty much every single thing that's happened to that point, just in case you weren't paying attention/had dropped off at some point. It's like Miss Hoolie has entered the gangs hideout and asked 'What's the story in Balamory?'

The finale of the film also has an absolutely ludicrous sex scene intercut with a final Munich flashback that I was simply laughing at by that point. Bana's climax involves so much sweat flying off him it's like he's been submerged in a pool and is coming up for air.

In the end, it's a film which is trying so hard to say a lot, it ends up saying absolutely nothing - nothing about the Middle East conflict, nothing about the actions of both Palestine and Israel, nothing even about the nature of revenge and what it can do to someone. It merely says that the Munich atrocity was an awful thing, and that state sponsored killing is an awful thing as well - both of which I pretty much knew before I put the DVD into the machine.

Hugely disappointing.

munich

i found this film to be lacking in any clear intention it was a rambling disjointed look at actual events and did not show anyone in a good light, the acting was ponderous the script far too wordy and intellectual for your averidge film goer to cut to the chase it was an extremely boring film which only illustrated that Israel politics can be as bad as any islamic extremist policy, there could have been more depth with the characters and far more emphasis on the quirky honour of the french family who were playing both sides against each other for financial profit and the CIA involvement with the PLO, all in all i think spielberg has lost the plot on this one.

review 1

i liked this my wife didn't

Excellent

Absolutely excellent and very thought provoking.

Be prepared for violence but, after all, that is the subject.

Violence with impunity (that is to say without lawful consequences) is always difficult but the film grittily portrays the endless cycle of tit-for-tat violence and fear that we still see today in The Middle East.

It is not, however, mindless violence devoid of human feeling as per the oh so tired genre of Scharwznegger and co. etc.

Filmed on location? Some but much of the European city shots were in Budapest (I couldn't fail to miss them - I am Hungary John after all!).

A must see film!

as someone who knew very little about this event, i saw the film from a very neutral standpoint. the message was so powerful and it was impossible not to be moved or gain some sort of understanding for both sides. this film was panned by the critics and hollywood but i think it was grossly unfair as the message of the futility of revenge and the pointlessness of religious or political struggles is so strong and should be watched by anyone who feels they are entitled to a view. well done stephen spielberg. a very brave move for a Jewish person, and shame on you hollywood for passing this film over for awards!

its not often im moved

'During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government recruits a group of Mossad agents to track down and execute those responsible for the attack.'

I say about it..

Well its been a long time since i came out from a movie moved. since even schindlers list Spielberg has done it again. moments when yes perhaps it was confusing but generally i was taken on a steady definite pace throughout. flash backs that came about that dreadful event were both powerful and timely. the sheer photography of the film was a beautiful gray almost fullfilling the situation of the job in hand. then the contrast of the 'kitchen'. a film full of 70's haircuts and cars. this was no James Bond but you feel you are watching reality. at times you wish you weren't. this is a 15 and well a few years ago it would have made the 18 grade. by the end im with the assassin and caring for him and his family even though what he did perhaps solved nothing but another lifetime of war. go watch it. but learn from it or will we have to wait another lifetime for things to change.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Don't Mess with the Mossad

This film is another good thriller from Steven Spielberg, with an excellent cast, a cracking pace and very good cinematography.

It would have got 5 stars but for the lack of puff at the end of the movie when the plot dried up as the team slowly died off.

Despite his critics I believe that SS is one of the best Directors alive today and he has always put a lot of passion into his work.

I am sure that he wanted to create a certain effect at the end when Eric Bana as the Team Leader Avner realises that he wants a different future for his family and hence the change in pace.

This film leaves one in no doubt that whilst it does not aid the peace process, the phrase 'An eye for an eye' takes on a whole new dimension when applied by the Israli strike team.

I would recommend this film to watch for those who appreciate the struggle that has gripped the Middle East, although they have been fighting for three thousand years and its not over yet.

Worth the money!