Munich: Spielberg's best film in years

Rating: 10/10 (4 January 2006)

In my opinion, Munich is Steven Spielberg's best film since Saving Private Ryan. From the opening scene with a depiction of the Munich massacre to the very end in New York, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It was one of the few times that I could feel my pulse racing during a movie. Spielberg does a great job of building up the tension for each assassination attempt the Israeli team tries on the members of Black September. Each time it seems that something goes wrong so it leaves the audience guessing what will happen next. Munich moves like a thriller but also is a morality tale on violence and revenge. Every member of the team heavily risks their own lives to complete their mission. The greatest example of the toll the mission takes on the men is Eric Bana's character. He has to leave his wife and newborn daughter, almost gets killed by his fellow team member, and begins to question whether the people they are after are really tied to Munich or not. By the end of the film, he becomes so paranoid that he hardly sleeps and is always watching his back.
Without a doubt Munich is Spielberg's most provocative film yet. Schindler's List was more of a tale about one man's change of heart and Saving Private Ryan asked the question of how much is one person's life worth. But Munich asks what is the price for killing someone. It seems to show that there is a heavy price and no reward. The men they kill are replaced by worse people and each of the members of the team become physically and emotionally destroyed in the process.
Munich is not Spielberg's best film, that belongs to Schindler's List. But in my opinion it could come an easy second with Saving Private Ryan. Bana gives his best performance yet and should at least be nominated for Best Actor, if not win it. Spielberg should get his third Best Director Oscar as he proves once again that he can tackle any subject no matter how controversial. Although I have not yet seen all of the movies that have gotten Oscar attention I think that Munich is the best film of 2005. If you have not seen Munich yet, I suggest that you do and get the rare experience of seeing a movie that not only thrills you but also makes you think.