A Tedious Mishap of Important Ideas

Rating: 6/10 (14 July 2006)

MUNICH is a tug-of-war between two screenwriters (of different disciplines) and a director who can't decide which version he likes so he tries to blend them into one coherent experience. The result is a mixed bag. To be fair Spielberg's intention is valid and he took the right path artistically, but I think he should have spent more time developing the project. Instead he decided to rush the production along to reach the Oscar deadline. This paid off because the Academy nominated it for Best Picture but I believe it would have benefited from the delay. Oh the masterpiece that would have been if only Spielberg was a little more patient. The film starts off well, pulling you into its story with an ease that very few directors have mastered. Much of the film is well done with solid performances through out. Eric Bana is extraordinary. Yet about two-thirds through, the film loses its momentum, shuffling various endings that drag the film down. My main complaint is that the film repeats its arguments, almost as if Spielberg is worried he hasn't made his point. Some of the scenes are outright melodramatic in presentation and I wish Spielberg would have taken a more subtle approach instead of hammering the viewer over the head, wielding us to feel what he wants us to feel. The best example of this is the sex/flash-back scene toward the end of the film. Technically it looks atrocious for one, reminding me of a scene from FLASHDANCE (what's with all that glistening sweat?). Second, it stylistically opposes the rest of the film, glaringly sticking out for attention. While I like the juxtaposing of the two events, I felt the end result was pretentious. Another example is the last image which loses much of its impact in its predictability. This is a post-9/11 film; I already considered the implications so the image doesn't shock me or affect me in anyway. I just nodded my head and thought, "Yes, you already made this point." Would I recommend this film? Yes, because while it is a flawed film that is unsuccessful in telling its story with any fluidity, the questions it asks are relevant. Any film of this nature inspires dialog and I applaud Spielberg for trying.