Fresh from War of the Worlds, Munich is The Big 'Berg's take on the 1972 Munich massacre, where 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage by Palestinians during the Summer Olympics of that year, making it one of the most significant terrorist attacks of recent times and launching a new era of international terrorism – a term that is all too familiar now in our own time. Munich is set to be this winter's most controversial release yet, but find it so or not, the relevance of it you will certainly feel. We've yet to see Daniel Craig in the trademark slick suits and shades of the Bond avatar but, before we do, we see him here first as Steve, accompanying Avner (Eric Bana), a spy hired on a mission by the Israeli government as a team leader of four to find and assassinate the perpetrators behind the fateful Massacre.  | | Sincere: Daniel Craig |
Avner is tipped-off about his targets one-by-one by a French source, Louis (Mathieu Amalric), who, despite coming across as a shady character, plays his role with precision. Later, Avner's paranoia kicks in as fast as the bullets he fires, and everything he has done seems now wicked and regretful. Looking back at his infant child and dutiful wife – his family – Avner can't help but think he is being hunted as he once hunted others. Masterfully depicted, the film is a visual palette of Europe, capturing the different worlds as a good director should. Bana is superb as the in-limbo, sombre spy, and Craig, though failing to resist parading in high fashion gear of the 70s, is equally fitting and sincere. A righteous move by Spielberg indeed; and though you may tire of the endless bombs and gunfire, you shouldn't leave the theatre feeling at pains with the film at all. 4/5 Stars: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciarán Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Tony Kushner, Eric Roth
Genre: Period drama, Thriller
Length: 163 mins
Cinema: 27th January 2006
Country: USA |
