EVERY CIVILIZATION FINDS IT NECESSARY TO NEGOTIATE COMPROMISES WITH ITS OWN VALUES.

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2020)

PROS:
~The movie underlines that there is a very fine line between justice and vengeance. It encourages the viewers to ask themselves some ethical questions about what is right or wrong. Spielberg chooses not to pick a side (at least he tries to a point) between Palestinians and Israeli: the first seek their own homeland and the second ones respond against every act of terror.
~Eric Bana gives a powerful performance. He initially believes that it is his duty to accomplish his mission only to realize that this situation can cost his saul. In other words, he leaves his beautiful wife (played by the gorgeous Ayelet Zurer) for a cause that leads to an endless circle of conflict (every leader is replaced by another one). The scene where he goes to sleep in the closet captures perfectly his paranoia and his mental breakdown.
~From the rest of the cast, Ciaran Hinds shines as the 'cleaner' of the team and he is the only member who constantly questions the purpose of their actions. Michael Lonsdale and Mathieu Almaric as the source of Avner are respactable in their roles and they are actually the only ones who understand that everyone has their own agenda so they choose to make a profit themselves capitalizing on their knowledge. Last but not least, Geoffry Rush as the handler of Avner kills it once again and he shows an emotional detachment in the ending scene.
~Every mission of the movie offers a moral lesson to the main characters. In the first killing they test their ethical limits when they see a little girl be involved in their mission. Furthermore, the conversation with a hostile team is thought-provoking for the viewer and the hotel segment makes the protagonist reconsider their allies and their enemies.
~The music score by John Williams is haunting and adds depth to the movie. The cinematography is beautiful and the masterful direction captures perfectly the era of 70s.
CONS:
~The last intimate scene of Bana is rudiculous. The intercut between Avner having sex with his wife and the brutal killing of the hostages is so awkward because nobody wants to see Bana's orgasm at the same time with the happening of such a horrifying event.
~Although Spielberg's intention to present both sides of the coin with an objective eye, the side of Palestinians is uneven compared to the Israeli and a further examination of their actions was required for such a subtle matter.
~The character of Daniel Craig is out of place and one-dimensional. Moreover, it is kind of amateurish that Kassovitz's character is chosen for the making of the explosives without having the proper knowledge.