Assassins Have a Soul

Rating: 9/10 (14 January 2006)

The one and only problem this film has is the nature of the subject matter. Any film made from a contemporary event will *always* be subject to criticism; making one that involves contentious issues such as terrorism, Israel, assassination, or intelligence agencies simply amplifies that criticism to stellar heights.
The best advice to give anyone going to see Munich would be to put your politics on the shelf while you watch. This is a VERY good film, with a VERY good performance by Eric Bana (he was so good I didn't even realize it was Eric Bana until the closing credits).
This film does what so few intrigue movies do: it puts a human face on those doing the dirty work. Most films, based on real events or not, portray all operatives as cold-blooded killers or soulless robots. The screenwriters treat these Mossad agents as real people with real fallibilities, real doubts, real strengths, and honest reactions to incredible stress and danger.
Above all, it's that last phrase that most aptly describes the power of Munich. Men are irrevocably changes by killing others, regardless of the justification. It changes one in many varied ways. Some collapse inward under the strain; some become more monstrous with every event; some become careless, as if they want to be killed in return; for every man it is different. This phenomenon, and the obsession of vengeance, are the two big themes of Munich.
Beyond this, the film is well shot, quite fitting for the setting. It's also well cast and well acted, beyond Eric Bana there are good performances all around. And the score is pretty compelling, too. Not your standard John Williams' fare.
I very much recommend this movie. 9 out of 10.
Barky