Munich
2005. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, based on the book Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas. Starring Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Matthieu Kassovitz, Hans Zischler, Michael Lonsdale, Matthieu Amalric, Geoffrey Rush.
"Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values."
Steven Spielberg is an immensely talented artist with the ability to achieve greatness, but he can just as easily make poor choices and offer weak stories. Witness his two offerings from 2005. The extremely mediocre War of the Worlds, with a pathetic ending, and Munich, which will sit atop my top ten list for 2005. This drastic discrepancy is why you never know what to expect from him. You have to see the films he does because when he does them well, you are talking some of the great works of cinema (E.T., Jaws, Schindler's List, Raiders of the Lost Ark). But he can just as easily disappoint you.
Munich offered no frustrations. It is a superb story without a weak spot in it. It tackles a difficult subject and allows us to not only learn a little about history but see the relevance in today's world. Most importantly, it is thrilling. Munich is suspenseful and engaging from start to finish. It deals with consequences on both individual and global levels: consequences both expected and unexpected. It warns of us not only the circle of violence that is feed into by retribution but that our response should be fully thought out. Yet, with all these large scale topics and thoughts, it exists on a small scale - mostly inside the mind of one man as we see the challenges, change, and consequences he endures from what he is asked to do.
Munich is what happens when everything goes right for Spielberg. It can stand with the films mentioned above as his best.
My grade: A
"Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values."
Steven Spielberg is an immensely talented artist with the ability to achieve greatness, but he can just as easily make poor choices and offer weak stories. Witness his two offerings from 2005. The extremely mediocre War of the Worlds, with a pathetic ending, and Munich, which will sit atop my top ten list for 2005. This drastic discrepancy is why you never know what to expect from him. You have to see the films he does because when he does them well, you are talking some of the great works of cinema (E.T., Jaws, Schindler's List, Raiders of the Lost Ark). But he can just as easily disappoint you.
Munich offered no frustrations. It is a superb story without a weak spot in it. It tackles a difficult subject and allows us to not only learn a little about history but see the relevance in today's world. Most importantly, it is thrilling. Munich is suspenseful and engaging from start to finish. It deals with consequences on both individual and global levels: consequences both expected and unexpected. It warns of us not only the circle of violence that is feed into by retribution but that our response should be fully thought out. Yet, with all these large scale topics and thoughts, it exists on a small scale - mostly inside the mind of one man as we see the challenges, change, and consequences he endures from what he is asked to do.
Munich is what happens when everything goes right for Spielberg. It can stand with the films mentioned above as his best.
My grade: A
posted by Keith Allison at 12:03 AM
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