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Munich (Widescreen Edition) :: 006056282X
Description
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| At its core, Munich is a straightforward thriller. Based on the book Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas, it’s built on a relatively stock movie premise, the revenge plot: innocent people are killed, the bad guys got away with it, and someone has to make them pay. But director Steven Spielberg uses that as a starting point to delve into complex ethical questions about the cyclic nature of revenge and the moral price of violence. The movie starts with a rush. The opening portrays the kidnapping and murder of Israeli athletes by PLO terrorists at the 1972 Olympics with scenes as heart-stopping and terrifying as the best of any horror movie. After the tragic incident is over and several of the terrorists have gone free, the Israeli government of Golda Meir recruits Avner (Eric Bana) to lead a team of paid-off-the-book agents to hunt down those responsible throughout Europe, and eliminate them one-by-one (in reality, there were several teams). It’s physically and emotionally messy work, and conflicts between Avner and his team’s handler, Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush), over information Avner doesn’t want to provide only make things harder. Soon the work starts to take its toll on Avner, and the deeper moral questions of right and wrong come into play, especially as it becomes clear that Avner is being hunted in return, and that his family’s safety may be in jeopardy. By all rights, Munich should be an unqualified success--it has gripping subject matter relevant to current events; it was co-written by one of America’s greatest living playwrights (Tony Kushner, Angels in America) and an accomplished screenwriter (Eric Roth); it stars an appealing and likeable actor in Eric Bana; and it was helmed by Steven Spielberg, of all people. While it certainly is a great movie, it falls just short of the immense heights such talent should propel it to. This is due more to some questionable plot devices than anything else (such as the contrived use of a family of French informants to locate the terrorists). But while certain aspects ring hollow, the movie as a whole is a profound accomplishment, despite being only "inspired by true events," and not factually based on them. From the ferocious beginning to the unforgettable closing shot, Munich works on a visceral level while making a poignant plea for peace, and issuing an unmistakable warning about the destructive cycle of terror and revenge. As one of the characters intones, "There is no peace at the end of this." --Daniel Vancini Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
Reviews
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Author: Guest
I think movies that delve into modern history to remind us what has happened and why events such as these shouldn't ever be lost to memory have to be my favorite. Munich is this type of film. Though named for the events that happened in 1972 Olympic Games, Munich follows not only what happened to the Israeli athletes but the reciprocation as well. Essentially, it turns into one man's story to fight for a country he believes in as a Jew and an Israeli, yet finds himself horrified by what he and his comrades have done and what they had done to them.
What hit me immediately about this film was the attempt Steven Spielberg made to try and keep his film culturally neutral. Though I think he failed, he did make an effort, which I have to appreciate as someone who has very little tolerance for racism. Movies such as this can create a stir, especially when they are as successful as Munich was, and creating a deeper sense of hatred between the two opposing cultures in this movie is something that definitely would have ruined the experience for me. So, though at times he slipped a little, Steven Spielberg did a great job at putting a human in all the roles, and not making monsters out of a culture we don't understand.
That leads me to the film itself, which was done to perfection. Steven Spielberg still is the greatest director out there, and shows that yet again with Munich. This is one tense film, starting early and only occasionally giving us breathers. Spielberg also did a lot to make the characters likable, despite the fact that they were political assassins. This movie plays out in stages, starting of course with the actual taking of the hostages in Munich, moving into the political battles of how best to get revenge for the massacre, and finally the undertaking of that revenge. The first two steps pass by rather quickly, and the action and suspense take over in the third step. Here is where the story of Avner begins to unfold, as he leads a group of five assassins--including Avner--who are charged by Golda Mier, the Israeli Prime Minister, to take out the eleven Palestinians who planned the Munich massacre. But as the group begins killing, and they become more and more accustomed to it, things begin to turn bad. Avner must find a way to deal with the hardships of being a family man and an assassin, while also keeping his team together.
Though I didn't give this a perfect rating, I still highly recommend this movie to everyone. Steven Spielberg takes his liberties, but all directors do in the end, and this movie never really attempts to be completely truthful. What it does attempt is a possible explanation of closely guarded historical events. And even if you aren't interested in learning, this is still a great action movie filled with lots of suspense.
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Author: Guest
I won't go into the plot since other reviews already describe it accurately, but this movie is emotionally draining in the same tone as Saving Private Ryan. Eric Bana's best work. Despite it not winning any of the Oscars it was nominated for, it was definitely a worthy contender for Best Picture.
This film gives a very insightful look into the Palestinian/Israeli conflict from the level of the people involved, without the news angle.
Not to be missed.
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Author: Guest
When I rented this movie, I thought that it would be about the murders of the Israeli Olympic athletes, an event which I remember with great sadness. This event does occur in the DVD, but it is right at the beginning and the rest of the movie concerns the attempt on the part of Israel to avenge the murders and to kill those responsible. The narrative is often confusing, and the movie is full of bloody scenes of murder and mayhem, none of which was very appealing to me. The point of the movie seems to be that revenge never really works and it only becomes dehumanizing to those who engage in it. I wish I had not sat through almost three hours of this movie in order to come to that conclusion.
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Author: Guest
The plot of this film has to do with the ongoing conflict between Jews and Palistenians. So I'm sure Mr. Speilberg is trying to make some kind of statement about the nature of revenge, violence, and the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.
But if you could care less about such things, this film is gripping from start to finish.
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Author: Guest
Eric Bana (Troy, Chopper) in a dynamic performance stars as Avner,a man who is assembled to a team of agents who are sent to eliminated 11 people who were involved in the kidnapping of athletes in the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Bana's team consists of Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, Enduring Love), Ciaran Hinds (Rome, Veronica Guerin) and Mathieu Kassovitz (Birthday Girl, The 5th Element), plus others. Their information is giving by the guy who started it all played by the always great Geoffrey Rush (Finding Nemo, Lantana). Soon Bana and his team are off to eliminate them all and also Bana's family could be in danger in the process. It's a powerful film with superb performances all around. Spielberg shows the horror and the chaos of what happened with bloody, brutal results. It's one of the best films that came last year and all I gotta say is bravo. Not for all tastes but I think if someone went threw what happened it would of been a horrible experience to go threw. Also starring Yvan Attal (The Interpreter, At Dawning) and Ayelet Zurerl (Maktub, A Night Without Lola).
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