A Masterful Theatrical Work

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2006)

The summer of 1972 was a very important season for Munich. The Olympic Games had set off and the whole world was watching closely, waiting for the next world record. And so it was a huge surprise when on September 4th of that same year, a group of Palestinian terrorists, better known as Black September, kidnapped and eventually murdered eleven Israeli athletes. To add to the catastrophe, five of the kidnappers and one German officer also lost their lives. It looked as if the battle was over. However, the Israeli government felt that revenge had to be taken and in retaliation hired a group of agents from Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence agency, to assassinate those responsible for the attack that is now identified as the Munich Massacre.
These are the real-life events which paved the way for one of the finest movies of the year, Munich, directed by none other than Steven Spielberg, one of the most notable figures in modern-day cinematography. Munich is extraordinary in its capability to reach out to the audience and also to evoke provocative questions. Highly intricate in its organization, Munich is able to manipulate the viewer and transform any feelings of ambiguity into resentment, excitement, abhorrence and sometimes even into disgust. Disturbingly graphic, mostly visually, Munich is scarring and like the scar it leaves upon the viewer, the highly controversial questions it raises linger on, even after the movie is over (the whole 2 hr 44 min of it).
The movie stars Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz and Hanss Zischler as the five Mossad agents (in their respective roles as Avner, Steve, Carl, Robert and Hans). Bana especially does a terrific job at portraying a haunted agent, who's often torn between the two opposing duties of work and family. The astounding Geoffrey Rush plays the role of Ephraim, the Israeli representative who must lead the Mossad to the right path (if such were the correct adjective) and Ayelet Zorer plays Daphna, Avner's emotionally-charged wife. Doubtless, the acting is terrific as the performers do a great job at thoroughly expressing their character's traits. But it's not the acting that's the winning component of the movie. Munich is the result of its highly excellent parts and as a result no one component or two sticks out(that was precisely why it didn't grab any Globes).
Munich is a masterful theatrical work and is radiant in its approach at combing politics with history. As expected, it was nominated for a number of Academy Awards as it's the type of movie that will particularly interest the academy, but no wins can be guaranteed. Although the theme of the film is highly controversial(especially since Spielberg is himself an Israeli supporter), Munich will speak out to the voters as it has to the audiences. And hopefully to all future viewers it will be recognized as the phenomenal,explosive hit it is.