Intelligent even gripping movie but without the killer punch

Rating: 6/10 (3 January 2006)

"Munich" is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seats for the first hour or so. It is fast-paced, slickly done (but then what else would you expect of Spielberg), and the editing is taut. The acting is competent without being exceptional. The script puts more emphasis on incidents than characters. With all these good things going for it, the movie still fails to deliver the killer punch that will make you remember the movie a month from when you watched it and cause you to think. The killing of the Palestinian terrorists responsible for the Munich Olympic Game massacre is a matter of faith with this devoted group. However, after the first few killings, I lost the point behind it. A few gripping scenes yes, a few bloody scenes yes, but where is the narrative that strings all these together. The movie to me loses its message in its overemphasis on style. The human element, the one thing that I absolutely insist on in a movie, is there but again without the punch. The protagonist echoed my feeling when he said they have killed a bunch of terrorists yes, but only for each one to be replaced with someone more bloodthirsty. This is where the good guys lose their moral legitimacy and ultimately their ability to carry the audience (ok, I am speaking for myself but maybe not).