Dark as Spielberg has ever been

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2007)

From two-time Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg comes Munich, the story of the assassination of the 11 Israeli athletes who were killed at the 1972 Olympic Games. The film stars Eric Bana as Avner, head of the intelligence unit assigned to kill everyone involved in the assassination. This is Bana's finest performance and finally taps into that thespian persona that we've all known he was capable of. Bana hasn't been more aware of his surroundings and character depth that his Avner requires like we've ever seen him.
The supporting players are adequate enough to make it through the picture but some are developed better than others. Geoffrey Rush as Ephraim, the operative heading Avner in different directions doesn't wear his character as well as others we've seen in past performances. Mathieu Kassovitz as one of the team members is the best of the supporting players as a torn individual between the job he is given and the results of his actions in the eyes of the almighty.
Ciaran Hinds has a presence on screen that gives the extra topping of an actor's showcase of talent. Daniel Craig as the "badass" operative is equally as charging and impressionable.
The candle of this picture is Steven Spielberg who's never been this dark and this thorough since his achievement Schlinder's List. Not holding any measure to Schlinder's List or Saving Private Ryan which are cinematic gems with this auteur at his finest, Munich is immensely erotic in cinematography and editing and a score by John Williams to die for. His choices here rather risky are so unlike anything we've seen of him before.
This is an exquisite motion picture and should be seen by all. Eric Roth's screenplay is pin-point with dialogue and rich in flow. This is definitely the Spielberg show.
Grade: ***/****