A missed opportunity

Rating: 4/10 (11 February 2006)

I've always had the feeling the Spielberg is the master of the popcorn blockbuster and the apprentice when it comes to anything deeper. I know that Schindler's List was an exception to this rule, but an overwhelming majority of the worlds population don't really need to examine their belief's to decide where their sympathies lie in terms of the holocaust.
For those that don't know the film shows the Israili retaliation to the Munich Olympic massacre by the Black September group. The film is nicely played and the script is good, but the film is far too pc for anything interesting or memorable to come out of it.
I suspect the movie is trying to convey the inner turmoil that goes on in the minds of terrorists, be they state supported or from any of the terrorist organisations around the world. I say 'suspect' because it completely fails in the objective. The film doesn't engage and an opportunity to consider what it must be like to be a member of Black September or Mossad is lost.
The film's Oscar nod says more for Spielberg's reputation in Hollywood than it does for the quality of the film. The film also gives little insight into the conflict that continues to threaten world peace to this day. I saw a very interesting documentary about one of the victims relatives. They said that members of the Israeli government kept them updated on the campaign, but they didn't really want revenge. The five minute interview shed more light on the incident than this film managed to do in 150 minutes.