Technically a great film but lacked an important human element

Rating: 7/10 (29 December 2005)

Overall I thought this was a very good movie. Putting the subject matter aside for a moment the photography, casting, acting, direction were superb. Going back to the subject matter I was very curious on how Spielberg was going to handle the bias issue. Too many movies use these themes to cast good vs evil dramas. I thought Spielberg made the grade. Even though this is a long movie, it's wouldn't be long enough to adequately present all sides to the on-going Israeli-Palestian conflict and therefore I didn't expect to be educated on them. Before viewing the movie I assumed that he would present the theme that violence begets violence, a vicious merry go round that never stops. He delivered that message brilliantly. Like some of the other commentators I got emotionally involved where I understood, liked and disliked the partisans from each side. They were right and wrong. Which makes the telling of this story so relevant to the current war in Iraq. Despite the best efforts of the U.S. administration, this is not a good vs evil struggle. Violence is justified to stop violence...that's the insanity that the main character played by Eric Bana comes to learn.
I did have a few problems with the script. The 5 man Israeli team spend up to 2 years with each other, sleeping, eating, planning, socializing and killing together. They are a family unit. However we see very little of how they related to each other and feel about each other. There are moments of joking around, scolding and venting but nothing below the surface. Secondly, after Eric Bana and Daniel Craig fail in their last mission in Spain, Daniel Craig's character disappears. What became of him? Lastly I need to speak about Eric Bana. I hope he receives a Leading Actor nomination. An Australian actor (despite the unfortunate Hulk movie) he played his character brilliantly. Dropped his Aussie accent and mannerisms, and used very real American, Israeli and German accents and speech patterns