Movie Review: Munich

Once again Steven Spielberg provides a compelling, gripping and realistic depiction of an event that shaped world history. He provides a truthful and well-rounded representation of the people involved and how they were affected. Through a non-biased portrayal Spielberg supplies the viewer with the tragic events at the Munich Olympic games of 1972 and also the chess match that follows in the European arena. After leaving the theater the least Munich will leave you with is sufficient entertainment and a better understanding of a portion of history.
Avner, played by Eric Bana, is the protagonists who, along with four other men, are assigned the job of assassinating 11 individuals who had a hand in the preparation and execution of the hostage situation that left 9 Israeli Olympic Athletes dead.
The stage is set when the Palestinian terrorist organization "Black September" takes 11 Israeli athletes hostage. Through an unknown set of circumstances negotiations go awry and hostages and terrorists alike die. Munich does not focus on the events that happened in the Olympic village but primarily the aftermath. Although Spielberg provides a realistic artistic interpretation of non-fiction events in graphic reality the audience should be warned about his realism. The scenes are not as brutal as the first 15 minutes of "Saving Private Ryan" but an "R" rating is appropriate considering the murder that takes place. Spielberg's uses his characters through conversation to define what is murder and what I would call "justifiable killing". There is a solid amount of necessary ambiguity throughout this movie and the ability to provide information from either side is what Spielberg does well. The Palestinians call it murder when a member from their group is killed but when they do the same, it is rationalized as a legitimate act.
There is another ambiguous aspect present that underlies much of the plot. It is a value that mankind favors tremendously but only for their own kind. This value that almost everyone shares but is very discriminate when it comes to race, color and especially religion. That value is the family. Several instances throughout the movie there is reference to how important the family is to your people. However it is interesting that this value is placed only on your family and those families important to you. I found it thought provoking that if people could only place that family value on others in the same context that they place that value on their own there would be considerable less bloodshed on this earth. However, as a genius man once stated, "As long as there is man there shall be war".
As with any family or people in general one of a number of things brings us together. The kitchen, food, the dinner table or a meal brings us together. It is a place to sit and nourish the body. It is something that we as humans have in common as a basic need. Spielberg redundantly displays this idea in the courtyard cafes of Paris, the safe houses throughout Europe and the informant's secret villa outside Rome. There are a few scenes in Paris that take place on the sidewalk by the same storefront displaying the modern kitchen. Avner and his accomplices are very often making meals for themselves discussing at the dinner table the business that is in front as well as behind them. The villa proved to be the crowning achievement as friend, family and conspirators joined together and put their differences aside to share a common necessity. It is here that the family aspect is driven home and also the value of your own family. It is they who are important, not the families of your enemy.
There is a casual feeling throughout the movie that is hard to grasp. Perhaps it is because I have never been a hired killer, but the way these people handle their job is much like we do everyday. It is something we are used to and feel comfortable performing certain duties day in and day out. In their case it is point blank gun shots, carrying out a sequence of events in order to get the right person by means of plastic explosives or a military assault on a Beirut nerve center.
You cannot help but feel remorseful for the people who end up on anyone's "list". But when you consider the actions these people have committed or perpetrated you find a way to sympathize with the killers when they question the right or wrong of their actions. Again Spielberg provides an ambiguous situation for the moviegoer to decide which side of the fence they are on this time.
Throughout the movie Spielberg uses flashback to remind the audience as to why Avner and his gang are on this mission. No one will ever know the exact details as to what became of those Israeli hostages so we rely on Hollywood to re-enact it for our benefit. These flashbacks coincide with a particular time when a life is taken. The character becomes not a killer, but a person who is judging himself as a result of the action he committed. You feel yourself in his shoes, then feel yourself in the shoes of the hostages in the following scene and realize there is right in actions considered universally wrong.
This is a fantastic journey into 1970's European espionage, no not James Bond but the spy games you could envision a friend of yours being involved with. It is a somewhat normal group of individuals asked to perform a complicated task by working as a team and bringing all their intelligence together. Several twists and turns can be expected in this cat and mouse game. Dark street corners and hotel room doors ajar keep the audience on the edge of their seat wondering who to trust while there are those that work for money, not people.