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Review: Munich
 Cast:
Eric Bana
Daniel Craig
Ciarán Hinds
Mathieu Kassovitz
Directed by:
Steven Spielberg
2005 might not have had the best quality films, but it sure did have the most important, thought provoking, and issue driven films. From GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, to SYRIANA, to now MUNICH. Issues were tackled, discussions were started, and it really got people thinking. George Clooney is not the only Hollywood big shot with big views, as Steven Spielberg throws in his name in the political hat with MUNICH. It is based on the 1972 Munich Olympics, in which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered.
I respect a hell of a lot the Clooney's and Spielberg's for doing the tough, and button pushing films. They already have their millions and Spielberg has more then enough classic films in his IMDB page to last him a lifetime. Clooney has his ER money. Yet, they decide to use their celebrity for something worthwhile. To use it to educate and enlighten the greater public. Not just collect a paycheck. MUNICH might be one of the best thrillers and political related films to be released in quite some time.
MUNICH starts off with a re-enactment of the events that went down at the 1972 Munich Olympics. It shows the kidnapping and the murder of the Israeli athletes. This is shown in slow motion, and is brutally frank and disturbing. Spielberg uses the slow motion to heighten the effects and does not shy away from taking you right in there. We then get taken into the war room with Prime Minister Golda Meir (Lynn Cohen) along with her cabinet. She states this is not a time to be weak or turn the other cheek. This is a time to respond and make a statement. To appear strong.
Assembled is a 5-man private revenge squad to kill the 11 responsible for the murders. The 5 men are lead by Avner (Eric Bana) who is a former bodyguard to Golda Meir, and has a baby on the way. He also has Robert (Mathieu Kassovitz) who is an expert at disarming bombs and is now in charge of actually making bombs. The future James Bond, Daniel Craig, he plays Steve, the trigger-happy member of the group. Carl (Ciaran Hinds), who is always examining, theorizing, and over analyzing everything to the very last detail. Rounding out this group is Hans (Hanns Zischler), who can forge very well, documents and letters. They have everything they need in this group, as each man has their unique trait or personality.
Their existence is not known. They are paid from a little box at the bank, they have fake names, fake passports and are to be as quiet and hidden about this as possible. Their goal is to find the whereabouts of the 11 men and murder them. They get the info from a shady Frenchmen Louis (Mathieu Amalric). He refuses to work with governments, so Avner gives him the belief that he is not from a government. Although, I think it would be a little fishy, considering the hefty sum that he pays to get the info. Only governments or large companies would have the 600ks, he is dishing to find out where the targets are hidden and located at.
This film works on a number of levels. It works first and foremost as a political thriller. We all have seen many thrillers. The kind with Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis, where it's connect the dots. Spielberg's genius is in the way he builds up the suspense with a claustrophobic, hurried, suspenseful nature. Take for the example the scene where a bomb is planted in one of the target's phones. When the target picks it up, they are to cue the bomb and kill him. There is a switch done, where the little girl picks up the phone, and all of them must race around to prevent the bomb from being exploded. We go from the little girl to the bomb maker to Avner all with relative ease.
MUNICH also is very detailed in the way it shows the strategy and skill involved in each of the killings. Their government does not want them to use guns. They want them to use bombs so a statement is made. We see how the bombs get made, where they hide them, when they go off. They also use them in letters. A lot is shown and talked about the actual preparation and planning for this. You really get in there and find out just how this is all going to go down. Not just kill, kill, shoot, shoot, bomb, bomb. There is a method to the madness.
I also liked a lot how we know little to nothing about the characters. All we know about Bana really is that he has a kid on the way. Spielberg takes no sides and he takes both sides in this film. It's just in the moment. No lecture. Both sides get room to speak their mind and see where they are coming from. This is not a Michael Moore listen to me, I'm right, everyone else is wrong smear campaign. It's up to you at the end of this film to ask yourself the tough questions and see what answers you see fit. If there is any answers.
There is also an interesting, short, but effective cameo by Louis' "Papa" (Michael Lonsdale). He is like a Marlon Brando in GODFATHER type figure. With moving speech, who commands respect from everyone and anyone. He is the one who also helps them get information. He brings up some interesting topics as the only thing important in life is family, but at what cost to feed that family? He even says to the Bana character, "we will work together, but you are not family." So what is more important your government and country or your family?
Spielberg kept me guessing all throughout this movie and left me with a lot of questions. He kept things interesting and surprising without being contrived. There is a point in the film where Bana says "Even if we kill all 11 of them, there will just be more of them and they will be replaced". So why kill if more will just come and be nastier and nastier? The ending of this film reminded a lot of DEER HUNTER, in which Bana has come to grips with reality and all the killings he has done. He finds it hard to make love to his wife again, be normal, or accept that he was an assassin and did what he did.
It's very easy in the movies to say kill the bad guy, and everything is solved. The world is free, we are free, and everything is back to normal. Spielberg is smart enough to know that it's not that easy in the real world. Two wrongs don't make a right. There is aftermath, there are consequences, and there is lasting effects.
Review by Tony Farinella
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