Meaningful movie but dragged to the limit of patience!

Rating: 6/10 (27 April 2006)

Steven Spielberg's name on the promos initially seemed like a stamp of quality. But soon, my curiosity faded when Munich which munched on and on for nearly three hours which really let me down. But, it's not too bad either. The gusto with which the movie begins makes it seem like re-creation of an action flick from history. The impeccable Spielberg stuff is seen in the film's technical stuff which can transport a viewer to the 1970's and makes one empathize the deaths of the athletes at the games.
Munich is the story of the aftermath of 11 Israeli athletes being killed by a Palestinian terrorist group called Black September during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Four Agents of Mossad which is the Israeli version of CIA are under the leadership of Avner, (played by Eric Bana better known for his role as Hector in Troy) are sent for assassination of those responsible for the Munich massacre in what was historically called the "Operation Wrath of God". These men who are chosen by the Prime Minister Golda Meir herself are to leave their families for an indefinite time till their job is done.
The movie shows some gruesome assassinations and the errors that they make which actually make the movie far more realistic than the usual smooth action flicks. You see, Spielberg had a historical story to stick to. But in his eagerness to portray the feelings of the protagonist about the assassinations and his pining for his family, the movie was at least stretched by 20 minutes. The worst thing is that the movie's best points are made in those stretched parts. This one is only for those who love watching slow movies.
Rating: 6/10