Steven Spielberg explores the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre in this tense drama.
Steven Spielberg can forget the films, the awards, the adulation and even the money because it is only now that he has arrived. With the release of his perspectives on the clash of civilizations in the bloody aftermath of the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, fans should cast aside the resurrection of the tyrannosaurus rex as the point at which Spielberg finally achieved the impossible. Not until "Munich" had anyone been able to rise above decades of intifadas, assassinations and wars and successfully united the eternally divided Palestinians and Israelis. Admittedly, their tenuous and wholly temporary unison may be based on a shared hatred of Spielberg but the great-Jewish director has presumably concluded that personal sacrifices need to be made for the greater good.
The "funny" thing in all of this is that those on both sides of the divide, whose judgements are clouded by uncompromising attitudes, are staggeringly missing the point. Spielberg is exploring what he considers to be a never-ending conflict that is unwinnable and morally confused but still is perpetuated by the destruction suffered by all in the unrelenting paranoia. In its simplest form, the grey area reigns supreme as his prayer for peace (religion unspecified) depicts both sides as equally human. To take sides would be to endorse the trend of cyclical tribal conflict and be contrary to his emphasis on the pointlessness of obsessive revenge
Similarly, though, scholars of the Israel-Palestine struggle may contend that the director has been economical with the truth by basing the film on a book ("Vengeance" by George Jonas) that has been criticised as nonsensical embellishment. Their criticism would have validity did the film not open with a clear disclaimer stating that what follows is merely inspired by real events rather than being based word-for-word and breath-for-breath on precise actuality. As a film it is not a question of whether it is accurate or not, but, rather, whether it is believable. With this, only the naïve would fail to grasp that the situation in the Middle-East is much more complex than is suggested in this fictional, 150-minute movie. If, in spite of this, some still wish to view the action depicted as God-given fact then it is more an unfortunate consequence of their own stupidity than an indication of a deceitful Spielberg donning a Pied-piper mask and leading the helpless children to ignorant immorality.
It is by concentrating on the personal struggles of Avner (played by Eric Bana), the main protagonist and leader of an assassination team ordered to eliminate the architects of the massacre, that the wider issues can be addressed. Unlike the cool assassins of Hollywood folklore, able kill a crowd of sixty-nine ninja"s whilst eating a sheesh kebab and without breaking an eyelash, Avner is an identifiable everyman with a spectrum of emotions. In his physical and psychological deterioration, the toll of killing is evident and yet he is still torn between his conscience and loyalty to Israel. The latter being a circumstance of birth that defies logic but forces him to engage in a clandestine dialogue of death consisting of bullets and bombs.
In truth, and because of this "everyone-is-good-and-bad" conservatism, Spielberg"s ownership of the crown bestowed upon the golden boy of Hollywood will not be under threat. The lingering presence of the twin towers in the closing scene may be an indirect dig at President Bush and his war on terror but "Munich" cleverly bridges the gap between enjoyable all-action thriller and thought-provoking political lecture. That the issues relevant to the divided 1970s world are still relevant today leave a depressing and bitter aftertaste. Especially at a time when Scandinavian embassies burn in Damascus and an imminent war between radical-Islam and secular Europe looms (with Christian American already pursuing their own "Operation Wrath of God" in Iraq and Afghanistan). From the opening minutes in which re-enactments of the Munich massacre are interwoven with original footage and news reports, a convincingly mournful tone provides a heart that continuously pumps in both the nightmares and the actions of Bana"s Avner. Captured by this completely believable and tense drama, the audience watch in silent awe at masterful cinema storytelling. Simultaneously, such is the despairing hopelessness of it all that the popcornless onlookers sit solemnly in the gloom, surrounded by the sounds and continual images of painful death.
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Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. The world was watching in 1972 as 11 Israeli athletes were murdered at the Munich Olympics. This is the story of what happened next. In Israel, the handsome and charming Avner (Eric Bana) is deeply in love with his pregnant wife. Domestic bliss is short-lived; immediately following the "Black September" attack in Munich's Olympic village, Avner, the son of an Israeli hero, is summoned by his country's famed secret service agency, the Mossad, to carry out violent retaliations against those Palestinian terrorists allegedly behind the massacre. Commanded from afar by prickly government agent Ephraim (the inimitable Geoffrey Rush), Avner and his team of handpicked men - pugnacious South African Steve (Daniel Craig), goofy ex-toy maker Robert (Matthieu Kassovitz), morally conflicted Carl (Ciaran Hinds) and terse professional Hans (Hanns Zischler) - must deal with some shady, nefarious international figures as they track down their Palestinian prey. Their mission takes them from the villas of Rome to a seedy hotel in Cyprus and with each successful kill, Avner's iron will begins to dissolve as guilt and doubt begin to take hold of his conscience... Based on the book Vengeance by George Janos. Actors Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, Ayelet Zorer, Geoffrey Rush, Michael Lonsdale, Moritz Bleibtreu & Yvan Attal Director Steven Spielberg Certificate 15 years and over Year 2005 Screen Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic Languages English - Dolby Digital (5.1) Duration 2 hours and 39 minutes (approx)
Steven Spielberg directs this tense thriller, following the actions of a team of Mossad agents dispatched by the Israeli government to seek revenge against the Palestinian terrorist organisation that funded and carried out the assassinations of eleven Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics. In the days after the assassinations, young and enthusiastic Mossad operative Avner (Eric Bana) is asked by President Golda Meir (Lynn Cohen) to lead Israel's response. With the help of his handler Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush), Avner assembles a team, including bomb expert Robert (Mathieu Kassovitz), experienced sweeper Carl (Ciarán Hinds), unpredictable Steve (Daniel Craig), and dependable Hans (Hanns Zischler). Plugging itself into Europe's terrorist network, the team operates undercover and relies on information provided by the mysterious 'Le Group', headed by the avuncular Papa (Michael Lonsdale). As the team assassinates its targets, using methods that range from sophisticated explosives to up-close shootings, Avner and the others begin to question the morality of their actions, and whether vengeance can ever be a just motive. As Avner starts to miss his wife Daphna (Ayelet Zorer), the mission takes a deadly turn when the Mossad squad is itself targeted, and Avner finds himself becoming increasingly paranoid and suspicious.
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