Munich (2005)

Spielberg directed Academy Award winning thriller about the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre when 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinians in cold blood. Mossad assemble a team of assassins with various skills to contribute to go around Europe ingeniously putting various people associated with the massacre on ice. Based on true events and the assassinations actually happened, it is exciting following the various missions as the cool characters saunter about attractively rendered 70's locations. Throughout they negotiate feelings of guilt and doubt as they exact vengeance on behalf of their newly created state of Israel. Naturally there is some cross over with the Cold War and the other European spy scene and they meet various other characters on the way. Throughout there is a surging Jewish score building up to crescendos as the action (or indeed sex scenes) take place. Although a watchable film, I think the attempts at greater philosophical or political themes are a bit ham-handed and forced. There is a fairly uninspired attempt at dealing with the theme of metaphysical homelessness both Jewish, Palestinian, and personal. The script also wanes somewhat in the final third. Overall I recommend it though for the slick production, period setting, and cool spy scenes.