Good action, but disappointing, and muddled overall.

Rating: 6/10 (17 December 2005)

I was so disappointed in this film.
Spielberg's direction is fantastic, as always, and the action scenes are thrilling.
But the script is muddled and poorly structured. It doesn't really bring anything new to the central question it purports to explore. Yes, we all know that revenge is an ethically complex issue. We all know that collateral damage is always possible and that guilt is a heavy cross to bear. But the film doesn't really impart anything beyond these simple platitudes. If that's not bad enough, the last third just gets SLOW. And I agree with a previous poster that the "climax" scene (wink, wink) is just unbearably ham-handed.
It's too bad, because the subject matter is so relevant to today's political situation. Spielberg could've said something really important and thought provoking, here, but if only his themes were as complex as his camera moves.