MUNICH IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC with a couple of fallacies

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2006)

I am definitely a fan of Spielberg's/Kaminiski's/Bana's so while I must say that this film is not flawless, it is terrific. A person must understand a few things before going to see this movie. First, it is is too long. I was surprised by Kahn's editing mainly because the length can be felt at the end, not throughout. The movie gets long and the scene where Bana is having sex/ thinking about the Munich murders made little sense to me. Also, a person must remember that this is still Hollwyood and so any movie, even one made by Spielberg will not be completely factual. This is no exception.
Having made these comments, I can give the film the praise it is due. First of all, I think that a very complicated issue is displayed excellently in a film. Why? Because it doesn't focus on all the issues that are present between the Israeli Palestinian conflict so much as it deals with a small group of individuals battling their own morals as they do something that they know is wrong. Munich often presents the Palestinian targets in the middle of daily activities. Criticism of the film suggested that this was the filmmaker's attempts to create a moral equivalence for Jews and Palestinians. I disagree. I think that the events in the film merely illustrate how it could be hard for the assassins.
There is something about the way Spielberg and Kaminski film. Though it is a small detail, whenever they depict scenes with gunfire, you feel as if you are standing in the room filmed. It's not like watch a John Woo or even a Bryan Singer film. You can feel the weight of the guns that make you detest their violent nature. The filming is like this throughout.
The performances were also terrific. Eric Bana, (with the exception of Hulk, which I don't even think was his fault), continues to impress and this is no different. His actions are subtle and believable and you want him to succeed. Ciarin Hinds was absolutely phenomenal (watch Rome!), Matthieu Kassovitz repeats his excellence from Amelie and Daniel Craig was so good, it even made me think that he might be a pretty good Bond.
Munich is an ideal historical piece not because it is completely factual (its not) but because it presents the information as accurately as it can, and when it simplifies, you do not feel as if you are missing important information. Head's up on the last shot when Kaminski and Spielberg purposefully (I believe) leave the Twin Towers in the shot. The US wanted revenge too.