Movie review: Munich (2005)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Eric Roth, Tony Kushner
Stars: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciarán Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Geoffrey Rush
Genre: Drama
Length: 164 minutes
In cinemas: 23 December 2005
Country: USA

In 1972, during the Summer Olympics in Munich, all the 11 athletes of the Israeli Olympic Team were ambushed in the Olympic Village, taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian extremist group Black September.

The film focuses on ''Operation Wrath of God'', which was Mossad's response to this horrible incident. (Mossad is one of the Israeli intelligence agencies, and probably the best-known of them all). During the operation, Palestinians suspected of involvement in the massacre were systematically sniffed out and killed by Israeli intelligence and special forces. The film opens with the epigraph: "Inspired by a true story", so it is not an accurate depiction of real events. For what I have heard, it actually has its basis on a book called Vengeance written by George Jonas.

       Avner Kaufman (Eric Bana), an Israeli man working as a security guard, is summoned to a briefing where he meets some of Mossad's leaders and the prime minister of Israel, Golda Meir. They ask him to lead an assassination group established to track down and kill the Palestinians who are suspected to have been involved in the planning of the massacre in the Olympic Village.
       Avner's team consists of five members each specialized in different things. One member makes the bombs, another one cleans up the mess they leave behind when killing people, and so on. The team has a boss, Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush), who advises (and also castigates) them at some points, when he feels it is necessary. The plot focuses on the team doing their job, usually co-working with a French contact, who plays an important role in the film.
       As the story progresses Avner begins to see the fact that the eliminated Palestinians are simply being replaced, each murder brings terrible reprisals, and Avner's dreams are haunted by the Munich massacre. At some point he realizes he cannot even be sure if his targets are really guilty or not. His mind begins to shatter and he eventually becomes paranoid about his own, and his family's, safety.

       In spite of its thriller form, Munich is a serious inquiry into the Israel-Palestine conflict. It is packed with crafty metaphors, interesting characters and beautiful lines. The actors play their parts very convincingly. I find the film occasionally heartbreaking and despairing, but sometimes funny, too. One of the most touching parts in my opinion was without a doubt the phone call between Avner and his wife, as he bursts out crying when he hears his little child talk to him on the phone. The whole film is so well made it really manages to touch your feelings very deeply at specific points. It's certainly one of the best thrillers I've ever seen and also a daring political statement. Great job, Mr. Spielberg! (once again, I'd say)