Great Film, Exceeded Expectations

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2006)

It helps when you aren't overly-hyped on a movie before seeing it. I wasn't that interested in seeing this, for some reason, but did....and, wow! This is a fine movie, one of the Steven Spielberg's best efforts. Yes, he gets a little preachy in the end but overall, this is enjoyable and top-notch film-making.
Even though this had some violent moments, what impressed me was the restraint not to overdo the violence. I thought there was just the right amount. Being a long movie at two hours, 45 minutes, too much action would have worn out the viewer and too little would bore he/she. It also was fascinating to me as almost a travelogue, seeing a lot of different cities around the world, following this team of Israelis as they track down and kill many of the men responsible for murdering hostages in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
That's the story of this film: not what happened at the Olympics, but how the Israelis tracked down the killers/terrorists afterward.
Some of the violence is room-shaking if you have good speakers as a few of the explosions felt like it made my room shake when they went off! However much of the film deals not with that but with the men involved and how this mission affected them. In the end, Spielberg gives us a chance to reflect on a big question: how do you respond to terrorist attacks? Hopefully, the film can lead to some intelligent discussions. I have read where the Israelis were not happy with Spielberg's position on the matter. Since they have dealt with that issue for many years, I would listen to them carefully but be open for any viewpoint on this crucial issue. See the movie yourself and see what you think. Overall, Spielberg went out of his way to present both sides, so kudos to him for doing that.
The bottom line, as far as the film goes, is that it is simply good entertainment. The movie is well-acted and has a story that will keep most people very involved while watching it. We plunk our dollars down to get entertained....and this movie delivers. Highly recommended.