[Edwin-S]

I finally rented this film. I started watching it quite late at night and was intending to finish watching it the next day; however, I got wrapped up in the film's narrative and ended up finishing it. In that respect it was a good film. I read the book it was based on years ago. The film follows the main points of the book fairly closely, from what little I remember: except for the completely fictionalised informant family. The scenes were well-acted, but seemed to be just a little too James Bond-like to me. The dinner scene reminded me of the added dinner scene in "Apocalypse Now".

While I did not have any particular sympathy for the Dutch assassin, I still found the scene of her murder to be quite disturbing. In fact, it was the most disturbing scene in the whole film. A person knows she is a cold-blooded killer, but you still feel some empathy with her situation, as you watch her trying to save herself. The actress did a bang up job in the scene. She put more life into the death of her character, in that short space of time, than the other actors put into their characters for the entire film. Her hugging of the cat, as a final act of life was a good touch. There was a kind of desperation there. Like as if she wanted to feel the warmth of life for one final moment. Certainly, the best scene in the entire film.

I think the theme of moral equivalency was somewhat forced upon Spielberg. He would have been unmercifully ravaged by critics if he had been perceived as being on the side of the Israelis. Considering his ethnicity, he had to walk a fine line in order to avoid looking like a mouthpiece for Israeli propaganda. For the most part he succeeded; although, at times I felt he made the Palestinian targets look too innocent. At times, Spielberg definitely made it look like the assassinations had more to do with eliminating "moderates" in the Palestinian leadership than with taking vengeance on the perpetrators of the Munich massacre.

The worst part of this film were the flashbacks to the actual Munich killings. As far as i'm concerned they did absolutely nothing to move the story forward. The flashbacks intercut with him having sex with his wife were particularly pointless. It would have been understandable to see him suffering flashbacks to the murders that he participated in, since he was obviously suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as paranoia. But to have him suffering flashbacks from an event that he never personally saw, or was involved in, was ludicrous. The intercutting of those scenes took me right out of the film. For me, that whole section was one big WTF?

[Sam Davatchi]

Quote:

The flashbacks intercut with him having sex with his wife were particularly pointless.

I agree. I liked everything about this movie except that sex scene. It was just ridiculous!

[Colton]

Saw this a few weeks ago. I don't understand why the hostages were on the helicopter, but the Israeli police search the airplane first. With all the press covering the event, did they see the hostages enter the plane ... or the terrorists? Once they discovered the plane was empty - they hotfoot to the helicopters ... this whole scene is very confusing. Can someone clear this up as to what happened and why the plane was empty?

- Colton

[Holadem]

Quote:

Saw this a few weeks ago. I don't understand why the hostages were on the helicopter, but the Israeli police search the airplane first.

That would be the german police, no?

--
H

[john doran]

that wasn't the police - it was the terrorists; they got on board, saw there wasn't a pilot, and realized that the whole thing was a setup, which is why they ran back to the choppers, screaming at their comrades.

[Chris Atkins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwin-S

The worst part of this film were the flashbacks to the actual Munich killings. As far as i'm concerned they did absolutely nothing to move the story forward. The flashbacks intercut with him having sex with his wife were particularly pointless. It would have been understandable to see him suffering flashbacks to the murders that he participated in, since he was obviously suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as paranoia. But to have him suffering flashbacks from an event that he never personally saw, or was involved in, was ludicrous. The intercutting of those scenes took me right out of the film. For me, that whole section was one big WTF?

Edwin:

I respect your opinion, but I disagree.

The flashbacks were necessary for two reasons:

1. To show that the Israeli team were not mindless killers. They were animated by the Munich massacre, and flashing back reminded them (and us) why they were doing what they were doing.

2. I didn't even mind the flashback during the sex scene, because I think it conveyed the notion that terrorism, and our response to it, can threaten to rob us of that which we hold dear--and what is more dear than taking your wife into your arms and making love to her? I think Spielberg is trying to say that, unless we "solve" this problem--and solve it in a way that is both ethical and moral--we will lose our souls. That's why it worked for me.

[DavidPla]

I agree Chris. I just rented the movie for the first time this week and the best word I can describe it was haunting. Brilliant film. Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I am glad that there wasn't any answers. That we can make up our own minds about what we think.

[andySu]

“..a thumpingly well-made, superbly paced thriller..”
Jonathan Ross-Film 2006

Now I don’t always agree with him, but I have a feeling this is going to look good and sound good, throughout the long running time of 2hrs 37mins, I doubt there will be much score in it, so I have to wait and see after I have reviewed it, later this evening.

[AlexCremers]

Yesterday I rented the DVD and saw the film for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised. It's Spielberg's best film since Schindler's List. And about time too! I was ready to close the chapter on him. Compelling scenes, fantastic actors/characters, unsettling moments, topnotch direction and photography: ***/****


Alex