A riveting achievement

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2006)

It would be fair to say that Steven Spielberg is a director who's craft evolves more sufficiently within each decade. In the 70's, he created the term "blockbuster" with Jaws and soon became the master of popcorn entertainment with films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T throughout the 80's. The 90's proved to be his "mature" era, as he directed deeply personal, mature, and melancholy films such as Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Now, the early years of the 21st century, can easily be considered as a sort of "experimental" phase for Spielberg, as he somewhat departs from his David Lean influence and heads more towards his Stanley Kubrick inspiration. Not to compare Kubrick with Spielberg, because they are two completely different directors in their own ways, but, the way Spielberg has matured at this time has made his influence in the honor of his former colleague, an influence that is present in his latest masterpiece, Munich, as the film delves deep into the dark mists of human nature with thought-provoking themes that are conjured by awe-inspiring visuals and a gritty, melancholy atmosphere.
The film focuses on the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics, when nine Israeli athletes were infamously massacred by the Palestinian terrorist group, Black September. It's a destructive issue that still haunts the face of the Earth today, as two cultures collide for the sake of their shared dream of having a homeland. As a result of the tragic massacre, the Israeli government decides to secretly hire a team of assassins, lead by a former Mussad-Agent, Avner Kaufman(Eric Bana). From the moment we see him, we know Avner is a decent man. He's polite, he has a sense of humor, and he's a dedicated husband who is urging to start a family. Yet, his current state of personal happiness is put to a halt once he accepts the mission that has been offered. With the help of four other men, each specializing in their own specific skill, Avner must hunt down and kill every Palestinian who was involved in the planning of the Munich massacre. But, it's only a matter of time before these acts of vengeance and desecration become the culprits of paranoia.
The issues and themes that Munich deals with are things that we still deal with today. Spielberg handles these controversial issues with great fragility. Being a Jew himself, he could have simply labeled the protagonists and the antagonists of the film, yet, the plot remains sufficiently neutral throughout the film's entirety, showing empathy from both perspectives. Although we see it from the Jews' perspective, that doesn't necessarily mean their morals are not as corrupt as those of the Palestinians. Munich displays how vengeance, echoed through the actions of five men, effects the depths of our nature and our state of being. By the film's conclusion, Avner no longer is, nor will never be, the same man. His actions reflect those that still haunt us today both as nations and as citizens of our countries.
Eric Bana is stellar as the film's ultimately sympathetic lead, as he carries the film with poignancy and a fragility that can be seen in his eyes. It's an utter crime that the Academy did not nominate Bana for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Spielberg, while presenting us with a subtle story, adds even more subtlety by giving us visuals that will haunt and provoke our thoughts for days, with the help of the film's gritty and stylish atmosphere that perfectly reflects upon the emotions that are intact within the film. The camera movement also works sufficiently as it blends in greatly with the era that is being presented (the 1970's), by using various stylish camera tricks such as quick-dolly-ins.
In all, Munich is the best film I have seen in 2005, and among the best of the decade. Spielberg has achieved in creating a thought-provoking masterwork that shall leave the view pondering upon its message for days. And if you can't swallow it all, that haunting last shot should sum it all up perfectly.