Munich
“Munich” is a hybrid of the two sides of Steven Spielberg. On the one hand, there’s the Spielberg responsible for such white-knuckle adventures like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Jurassic Park.” On the other, there’s the Spielberg responsible for thoughtful and powerful epics like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List.” I love both sides, with a particular fondness for the latter (which I’ve discussed in many other reviews), which made my favorite film of his in 2001’s “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.” “Munich” is the first real fusion of both sensibilities. At 160-plus minutes, some added trimming could have made the film stronger, but since it’s directed the energy and virtuosity of “Raiders” Spielberg while telling a story with the dramatic weight we’ve come to expect from “Schindler’s” Spielberg, you can forgive the director- for my money, the greatest in history- for running a little long winded- and sometimes a little preachy- at times (something else we sometimes have come to expect from Spielberg). The fact that the film- which started shooting the day “War of the Worlds” opened this past summer- is so well-structured given the constraints of the production’s timetable makes it all the more impressive.
The more one considers Spielberg’s two films of 2005, the more one realizes that in the span of a year, Spielberg has tackled the two most profoundly emotional issues to be raised from September 11, 2001 without taking on the tragic events of that day directly (which he has vowed he would never do). One online critic I’ve read even went as far as including 2002’s brilliant “Minority Report”- which stripped basic civil liberties from a future society- and 2004’s underrated gem “The Terminal”- with its’ heightened airport security- in that discussion, but whereas those film’s foundations were built on a ground that was pure entertainment, “Worlds” and “Munich” were always intended to be much more than just escapism. In addition to that though, “Worlds” and “Munich” are the most intriguing films to look at, primarily because while “Report” and “Terminal” deal with post-9/11 issues vital to the society as a whole, Spielberg’s ’05 films deal with issuesof 9/11 that hit a person emotionally, bringing up tough moral questions and unleashing nerve-rattling emotion that provides no easy “out” for people. In “Worlds”- whose emotional impact goes beyond its’ greatness as filmmaking- it was the immediate shock and awe of the first major attack in our own backyard; in “Munich,” it was the emotional toll exacting revenge for such an event- in this case, the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches at the 1972 Olympic games in Munich by the Palestinian group Black September- can have on those charged with the mission of vengeance. It’s an idea not much posed with regards to the US’s current War of Terrorism, if only because a) the War has been upfront (Israel’s retaliation was kept quiet), and b) it’s primarily considered a military operation, but it’s an idea wholly relevent to the world we live in now, where people have begun to question- not unjustly- the US’s methods and justification for such action. That Spielberg would find such thematic relevance in such different stories- one fictional, one inspired by real events- shows his eye for material worth tackling remains unmatched. That he has chosen to tell the story of “Munich”- which follows one of many Mossad hit squads sent after those responsible for the Olympic massacre- despite the possible geopolitical repercussions to Israel- whose methods are still debated- and the possible personal risks for himself (it’s to Spielberg as “Passion of the Christ” was to Mel Gibson) shows he’s no longer afraid of taking risks (though the unsettling unease of the last passages in Brooklyn shows that brilliantly).
The approach Spielberg applies to Eric (“The Insider”) Roth and Tony (“Angels in America”) Kushner’s bracingly smart screenplay is why the film hits you in the gut even when you may be checking your watch. Working with the usual Spielberg suspects- editor Michael Kahn, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (who deserves an Oscar nod for his visceral camerawork), and composer John Williams (whose dramatic, propulsive music lacks much of the bombast but none of the emotion we expect from him)- the director films the story- which trots the globe with the nimble feet of a Bond film- with an energy and vitality that makes the suspense scenes crackle like a thriller more than a drama. This is where the hybrid of Spielberg’s two sensibilities- the escapist meeting the artist- is at its’ peakm with the tension of the setup (the plotting by the crew) and the harshness of the release (“Munich’s” violence stings more than even “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan”) hitting the audience vividly. Two such moments hit hardest- the gripping recreation of the Munich tragedy (which unfolds gradually and staggeringly powerfully over the course of the film), and the scene of an impending assassination of a Munich conspirer where a phone being answered means life or death, and a truck almost gets in the way.
Ever the master with casting, Spielberg finds several aces in character actors who inhabit the roles better than any star would. As Avner, the family man Mossad agent put in charge of the bloody mission, Eric Bana- “Hulk,” “Black Hawk Down,” “Troy”- finds the right balance of mercenary professionalism and guilt-stricken humanity in a character that must gradually and convincingly change from an ask no questions soldier to a world-weary, question everything man who has nothing left to give to his homeland and ends the film- which leaves on the sobering image of the still new World Trade Center- an expatriate in America. Bana makes the transition effortlessly. Geoffrey Rush leaves an unsettling impression as the shadowy Mossad agent who is the crew’s does not exist contact with the Mossad in the role- one suspects- was originally intended for Ben Kingsley, who was long attached to the project. For the rest of the crew, Spielberg has brought together a diverse array of international talent who doesn’t steal the show, but brings considerable talent to a cast of characters with a variety of worldviews to reveal. Of the four, Daniel Craig- the new Bond for ’06’s “Casino Royale- as the crew’s weapons man and Matthew Kassovitz- from “Amelie”- as the bombmaker stand out, though Hanns Zischler and Ciaran Hinds bring depth and feeling to their roles as well. Stealing scenes excellently is Michael Lonsdale as Avner’s French contact who feeds them information while playing both sides (he makes no illusions of favoritism). This film- like so many by Spielberg- is front-loaded with a fascinating ensemble cast that puts to shame many recent thrillers of the type “Munich” resembles (the exception probably being the underappreciated “Ronin”).
I could go further in exploring the film’s story, themes, and their importance as talking points in the modern world, but it wouldn’t provide additional insight on the already much-discussed story. Plus, these reviews are intended to be personal insights on how the film hit me. And for me, “Munich” poses provocative questions about combatting terrorism in a way that bristles with kinetic thrills and suspense that puts most Hollywood escapism to shame with the intelligence of the deepest morality play. “Munich” is the year’s boldest blending of art and entertainment; that Spielberg succeeds at delivering both should come as no surprise.
