"Overrated" - no better word to describe it

Rating: 3/10 (29 July 2006)

This film was visually generic, verbally underwritten, socially "trying to hard", and plot-wise non-existent.
It didn't even feel like a story when I watched it. It felt like bits and pieces of a story trying to form some sort of coherent film-worthy plot. It had slim to no character development, so much so that I hardly cared when most of the Israeli crew was knocked off. The execution of the entire story was immensely dull. It's like the producers sat down with the author of the book this is adapted from and had the following discussion:
"How can we make a film reminding people of the horrible atrocity at Munich, but still give it enough of a plot to make people want to see it?"
"How about we make it a revenge story?! Israeli assassins kill off a Palestinian one by one without knowing their exact involvement. However, they never actually get to the main conspirators. Instead we have each Israeli assassin get knocked off instead! Minus of course the main character and some stereotypical side character who's either cute, innocent, and lovable or immensely right-wing. Then we add in some controversial scene where a woman or child is killed just to make everyone go "OMIGOD!." Then lets quickly end it with an air of mystery and some attemptively thought-provoking yet excruciatingly vague dialog. Nevermind the fact that all this completely obliterates any theme or climax we had building. It's a Spielberg movie! And its about Israel! People will feel compelled to love it, 'cause otherwise, you know, they're anti-semitic."
Wow, suspenseful. Seriously, was there even a climax to this film? It ended without tying up any loose ends - instead leaving the audience some socially-significant statement about breaking bread thats apparently suppose to make us ponder the movie's socially-significant elements. Dare I forget the little text they always have at the end of movies now - instead of writing about it ...SHOW IT. Movies are meant to entertain, not to preach messages; save that for documentaries and Michael Moore films.
Oh and of course they had to throw in that hilariously f**king stupid scene of Avner having sweaty sex while re-imagining the brutal murder of the Israelis in Munich. Nice job guys - a sex scene interspersed with violence plus the inclusion of a slow mo sweaty scream..THATS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE! I smell Oscar already. No wonder this film was snubbed.