SYNOPSIS:
Set in the aftermath of the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli athletes
at the Munich Olympics, Munich recounts the dramatic story of
the secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and assassinate
11 Palestinians believed to have planned the 1972 Munich massacre
-- and the personal toll this mission of revenge takes on the
team and the man who led it. Eric Bana stars as the Mossad agent
charged with leading the band of specialists brought together
for this operation.
MOVIE
REVIEW:
It’s
never easy to transform historical events to the big screen.
Though there are numerous sources and archives to turn to,
at the end of the day, the filmmakers themselves have to rely
on their own judgment to determine the best-presented truth.
For “Munich”, renowned director Steven Spielberg
turns to George Jonas’ “Vengeance” for the
recount of the secret Israeli squad assigned to track down
and assassinate 11 Palestinians believed to have planned the
1972 Munich massacre.
Eric
Bana (“Hulk”) plays Avner, the leader of the squad,
a loving husband to his wife and a doting father to his newborn
daughter. Caught in the web of love for his family and country,
he’s determined to finish the mission yet he’s
reluctant to leave his love ones for a long period of time.
This is supposedly a tale about humanity that Spielberg wishes
to convey instead of dwelling on the issue of who’s
right and who’s wrong. The Palestinians or the Israelis?
For whatever damage Avner and his gang imposed on the Palestinians,
the latter will strike back even harder.
Although
the subject matter on hand is heavy, seasoned storyteller
Steven Spielberg once again shines in his part to create a
realistic, captivating recount. From the opening scenes with
real news footages inserted to the various assassination missions
carried out by the gang, Spielberg and his longtime collaborators
such as cinematographer Janusz Kaminski and production designer
Rick Carter superbly carved an astounding picture that veers
between a good old crime thriller and a historical based event.
Shot
on locations in countries such as Paris, Hungary, New York
and captivating performances put in by Daniel Craig (the new
James Bond), Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, and Ciarán
Hinds greatly justify the almost 3 hours running time. Perhaps
by editing it to a tighter 150 minutes might result in a more
tension filled movie.
After
its failure to garner any Academy Awards despite five nominations
including Best Picture, Spielberg has admitted in one of his
interviews that it might take years for “Munich”
to recoup it’s production costs. Even though “Munich”
is definitely not a film that is without its merits. Give
“Munich” a try if you miss the theatrical run
earlier this year. This is by far the most matured piece of
work by one of the greatest director of our time after “Schindler’s
List”. Popmous bullshit this is not, Spielberg has given
us an emotional and astounding political thriller worthy of
mention years down the road.
SPECIAL
FEATURES :
An Introduction by Steven Spielberg - A 5
minutes intro by Steven Spielberg in which he discussed the
developments of the plot and how he approaches it.
The
Man, The Mission - An approximately 12 minutes feature
that touches on the how the screenwriters developed the script
and how Spielberg stumbles upon Eric Bana. Surprisingly, its
his performance in "Hulk" that captures his attention.
There
isn't much supplements bundled in this disc. But if you are
one who normally skip the tedious extras, then this edition
is the right one for you.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Presented
in Dolby Digital 5.1. , the sound mix on the whole is particularly
strong during the action sequences. Dialogues is crisp and
clear and John William's score is touching at times though
seriously in lack of a memorable theme. Shot in mostly dark
and gritty lighting, the black colours are well-balanced in
the transfer. Overall, the visual and sound departments are
top-notch.
MOVIE
RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Linus Tee
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