A film even Socrates would be proud of.

Rating: 9/10 (27 January 2006)

Were Socrates alive today, this is the type of movie he would love. "Munich", like the great philosopher himself, challenges traditional notions of black and white, good and evil. It is therefore unsurprising that Spielberg, like Socrates was centuries ago, has been much criticised for his approach on this matter. It would have been painfully easy for the director to take a 'Die Hard' approach to dealing with terrorism.
Instead, however, the subject is played not for its entertainment value. Rather, "Munich" forces us to question the morals of revenge killings. We witness as the death of every terrorist at the hands of Avner and his team is matched with further retaliation. With morbid fascination, we witness the disintegration of Avner (superbly portrayed by Eric Bana), particularly in the latter part of the movie, until he becomes like the man in Carl's anecdote, sleeping in his closet. His fall is distinctly Shakespearen, as he sees himself as little better than the men he has been hunting. Even the initially blood-thirsty Steve (Daniel Craig) is changed by the experience.
The camaraderie between Avner's team is subtly portrayed; their conversations do not feel forced, and the actors have a powerful chemistry. Likewise in the scenes with Avner and his wife, the cheesy dialogue is well and truly by-passed, bringing a greater realism to the film. These are not caricatures; these are men who engage with the audience, and give the film its greatest strength.
It is easy to see why Spielberg has been so heavily criticised by both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, the context is irrelevant: what "Munich" attempts to show is that there are villains and victims on both sides in war. As the hunters become prey themselves, we see the film's message: an eye for an eye, and the world goes blind. It is unfortunate that this belief will likely be buried under the political debate surrounding Israel and Palestine.
Overall, "Munich" is a power and thought-provoking film, which, like Socrates, is quick to dismantle the preconceptions of its audience. 9/10.