MOVIE REVIEW: Munich

Tremendous movie. Whether the events are true to history and the victims the criminals attributed is irrelevent to this powerful drama about state violence and the responses to it.

***This review contains no spoilers!***

Directed by Steven Spielberg, and starring Eric Bana as Avner, an Israeli secret service agent who undertakes Israel's vengeant hunt for the Palestinian terrorists who murdered 11 Israeli athletes to the 1972 Munich Olympics.

The direction was superb, leading the audience intimately through the emotions felt by the partipants, Avner especially, but also the western public in 1972, and the other members of the team each in a different emotional state and moral position. Together with screenwriter Tony Kushner, who helped direct dialogue scenes, the movie combines powerful drama, violence and even comedy to truly grip and move the audience. Although some scenes, particularly strong dialogue scenes, often seemed 'play-like' (theatre) in their delivery and set position, the story entranced me until by the end I was frightened and anxious for Avner's plight.

Viewing Tip: The film is full of subtle and clever metaphor, not all of which I was fully aware. One example you might miss is when one of the team is retrieving a spent bullet casing lying in spilt milk as blood runs into it. A Jewish rule of Kosher cooking, which are based on principles from the Jewish holy book, says never to mix milk and blood (the mother and son).

The casting was similarly excellent. Co-starring Daniel Craig and Geoffrey Rush, lesser known actors Ciar'an Hinds, Matheiu Kassovitz and Hans Zischler make up the rest of the team. Mathieu Amalric and Micheal Lonsdale are also two more examples among the entirely solid cast who play their roles, as the underworld information dealers, perfectly. Eric Bana is a standout, and his transformation over the course of the movie is palpable, realistic, and moving. As in Troy and Bana's other history of work, as an Australian who's grown up with him on cheap, slapstick comedy programs, he has to work even harder as an actor to displace that unwanted presumption, which to his credit and my constant awe he does. Only once, and unfortunately in a supremely solemn and otherwise touching scene, did I force myself to stifle a grimace!

As can be expected from a Spielberg film, especially with Jewish interest (e.g. Schindler's List), no expense or detail is spared in the production aspects. Never for an instant in the film does the viewer think they are anywhere but in 1972/3 London, Lybia, Germany or any of the other locations in the film. Critical to this is the excellent set dressing, and immaculate and natural costume design. Incidently, Bana, like in Troy, is gorgeous and must have been a designer's dream to dress for this film.

The movie is by it's nature exceptionally political due to it's subject matter, and subtle attention is drawn to parallels with 'modern terrorism' - the film is indeed bookended by allusions to September 11. In this way it differs from Schindler's which had less modern relation. You can however see this film without fear of being preached to (too much!) for it is more a charachter drama and exploration of what violence does to people and society and how those within, around and removed from it rationalise and ultimately condemn, embrace or 'compromise' their principles.

Award Predictions! :
Win - Best Director, Best Actor (Bana), Best Costume Design
Nominated - Best Film, Best Adaptation, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Score