Wanted to like it, but it had no soul

Rating: 6/10 (27 January 2006)

I really wanted to like this movie! It's a great subject and I thought that a movie that generates so much discussion would at least offer me something to talk about. However, it didn't live up to expectations. I think part of the problem was that Spielberg went for the straight narration of the story, with a strangely weak main character. Eric Bana was good as Avner, but didn't really portray his moral conflict well. The other characters weren't fleshed out well at all. Geoffrey Rush was quite good in his limited time on screen. Ultimately, the most powerful moments in the movie are the documentary-style opening sequence involving the terrorists and their hostages and the end sequence when you see what happens at the airport. Some powerful, gripping images here although the final scenes are cut with Eric Bana (Avner) making love to his wife, which completely didn't resonate with me at all..
The movie is gorgeously shot in the "bleached color" look by Janusz Kaminski. The detail from the 70's is amazing, production wise. I didn't look at the watch once, because I found the subject matter interesting but from an accomplished director like Spielberg, I expected a better movie. Strangely, I felt the same let down after seeing Roman Polanski's "The Pianist" a couple of years ago.
Ultimately, Munich could have been a masterpiece, but Spielberg wasted this opportunity. It's a shame because I think this was a great story and he could have done so much better than what we see on screen.