Excellent but no masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (30 December 2005)

"Munich" is an very good movie but not Spielberg's best. I was alive at the time of the 1972 Olympics and watched the whole drama unfold on T.V. For many Americans, it was the first time we'd ever seen the ugly face of terrorism. This movie is that always dangerous combination, a docudrama, a film 'based upon real events.' In using George Jonas' 1984 book "Vengeance," Spielberg makes a critical error, for the book was widely criticized as inaccurate by knowledgeable sources, including former Mossad chief Zvi Zamir. The film is up to the usual high standard of Spielberg's past work - the film is intensely interesting and has excellent production values. However, it succumbs to some idiotic B-movie staples of past Holly wood fare, such as have two opposing groups - one Israeli and one Palestinian - share the same safe house, in which they meet with guns drawn but later become pals and house mates. Ridiculous. I enjoyed the movie but Spielberg takes a surprisingly soft view on terrorism, considering that he is a Jew. The PLO and the Mossad agents come across as morally equivalent, a view I do not share. Spielberg descends - for at least part of the movie - into standard Hollywood "Why can't we all be friends" bathos. Pretty simplistic and not very good history either. This movie is a fine example of why it is dangerous to rely upon Hollywood and movies for an accurate view of history. "Munich" is fictional, but uninformed viewers may take it as fact, which is a disservice to those who died. If you want a better view of terrorism, rent "The Battle of Algiers," a fictional movie but one universally praised for its accuracy. In fact, so accurate is "Battle" that would-be terrorists and also counter-terrorists screen the film. Of course, Spielberg's film is the better entertainment of the two, so pick on that basis. I give the film an 80 out of 100, or a 'B' grade. Nice effort but flawed. I wish he'd been willing to take a stronger stand morally. Whatever acts have been committed by both sides since then, Israelis were the victims at Munich, not the PLO.