Munich shows that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict appears endless at times. It delves into the conflict on a very personal level.

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2007)

Munich attempts to show that vengeance against savage and barbaric killing does not discourage terrorism. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the central themes present in this film by Steven Spielberg. This film does stretch beyond this endless conflict. An underlying theme of Munich is family and the dehumanizing effect that Israli born Avner's (Eric Bana) mission of revenge has on his wife and new born baby. Steve (Daniel Craig) plays a South African driver, part of the Israeli government's secret retaliation assassinations of those "responsible" for the 1972 Munich massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes by Black September. Occasionally they meet up with Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush),their case officer. Ephraim tells Avner that the assassinations are to just be the names on the target, and no others; especially civilians. Central to the films theme, approximately the middle of the film, Avner finds himself sharing a safe house with a Palestinian terrorist group (he manages to pass himself off as an ETA operative). The two get to talking and the Palestinian describes his pride at being part of the struggle for a free Palestine. Avner finds it difficult to keep his anger hidden to the point where the other man accuses him of being an Israeli sympathizer. This scene is crucial because it is the one time in the film where we actually hear the feelings that drive the Palestinian cause. It is also the moment at which Avner sees the human face of his enemy and realizes that, not only are they as devoted to their country as he is to his own, but they might actually have legitimate goals, even if their methods of achieving them are wrong. Spielberg has entertained us with audience pleasing films such as Jurassic Park, E.T. and Indiana Jones, however, Munich appears to be a film that Spielberg felt compelled to deliver. One of the Munichs' elements is the emotionally deep music by John Williams. It is for the most part very suitable to the central theme and overall experience. The song from the film soundtrack, Prayer for Peace, won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. The song is played during numerous scenes, including the ending where it is an arrangement for strings and piano. The movie was painful to watch. I would imagine this is the case for many unpopular subjects.