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.