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Eleven eyes for eleven eyes
Steven Spielberg should expect neither an Oscar nor a Nobel Peace Prize for Munich, an assassination thriller "inspired by true events" about the aftermath of the killing of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics by Palestinian extremists. A Syriana for people who don't want to think too much, Munich wouldn't look bad on another filmmaker's resume but it's minor Spielberg, especially after early buzz suggested he was in serious, Schindler's List mode. Antiwar in that it shows reprisals merely perpetuate the cycle of violence, Munich still has us rooting for the good Israelis against the bad (and mostly faceless) Palestinians. Eric Bana (Hulk) stars as Avner, who is called in by the Mossad (Israeli intelligence) and Prime Minister Golda Meir (Lynn Cohen) herself to head a five-man team to hunt down and kill 11 Palestinians believed to have masterminded the massacre. It's "officially unofficial," with Avner no longer on the government payroll. Meir, believing a show of strength is necessary, sounds like she's testifying at the CIA torture hearings when she says, "Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromise with its own values." Avner is forbidden to see his wife, who is seven months pregnant, until the mission, which may take years, is over. He's given a team of four men. Steve (Daniel Craig) talks tough. "The only blood that counts is Jewish," he says, like a reverse Hitler. Robert (Mathieu Kassovitz) makes toys and bombs. Hans (Hanns Zischler), an antiques dealer, and Carl (Ciarán Hinds), the conscience of the group, are older and more expendable. Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush) is the case officer who tries to keep the team in line. He has trouble when, after successful hits in Rome, Paris and Cyprus, they learn of three targets in Beirut and insist on taking them out themselves, even though their orders are to stay out of Arab countries. It's not clear whether there's a direct cause-and-effect, but after each assassination there are reports of another strike—hijackings, letter bombs, etc.—by Black September, the terrorists behind the Munich killings. What's more, the replacements for the dead Palestinians are even more extreme. The whereabouts of the targets are being obtained—at great expense —from Louis (Mathieu Amalric), a Frenchman who works with his father (Michael Lonsdale), who has a profound hatred of all governments and will only work with free agents (as if they're not being paid by governments or wannabe governments somewhere up the food chain). Because they're "ideologically promiscuous," they'll take money from anyone and when Avner's team becomes a target Louis will sell them out too. At one point Louis inexplicably billets the Israelis and a Palestinian group in the same safe house in Athens. After almost killing each other Avner and Ali (Omar Metwally), the PLO leader, have an intelligent if inconclusive conversation about their countries' goals and tactics. It's one of the few scenes that at least give the illusion of moral complexity in what's otherwise a straight-ahead thriller. An interesting sidelight is the assertion that the CIA finances Black
September in return for assurance that certain American diplomats will
be safe. Though it's one of his colder films Munich has a few moments of Spielbergian warmth, all involving children. Most of what little humor there is comes from an Israeli accountant who's more concerned with receipts than results. The screenplay, based on George Jonas' controversial book "Vengeance," is credited to Tony Kushner (Angels in America) and Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Insider) but smacks of needing another draft or two. Spielberg didn't shoot Munich until this past summer and rushed it out in time for award season in what must be record time for a film of its size and importance. Munich doesn't have the slick look you'd expect from Spielberg or any major-studio globe-hopping spy flick. Well photographed by Janusz Kaminsky, it doesn't have a grainy indie look either. It's not foul but neither is it fish, gefilte or otherwise. Steve Warren is a local actor and film reviewer. His reviews can also be seen weekly in the Sunday Paper. |
Munich
Directed by: Steven Spielberg 
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(2½ out of 4)