Munich

Ok, I'm completely emotionally drained right now. We just got back from seeing Munich, but I want to write about right now before any of it wears off. That alone should pretty much tell you what direction this review is headed.

For those unfamiliar with the film, it begins with the kidnapping and killing of 11 Israelis at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The remainder of the film focuses on the attempts by a group of Mossad agents to hunt down and kill 11 men behind the planning. This, however, is not your typical revenge flick.

More powerful and emotional than anything Spielberg has done in quite sometime, Munich shows the impact the mission has on the men and on society as a whole. As they eliminate the targets one by one, they struggle with the morality of the situation. The debate over whether they have betrayed everything they believe in continues to rage, as they see each success followed by even greater retaliation.

In the end, Spielberg shows us the humanity and the horror of both sides. Killing targets you are told are responsible for horrific acts may not be easy, but it becomes infinitely more difficult when you begin putting faces, personalities and families with them, when you realize that each name is a real person, not just a target. Spielberg has stated that he wants this film to be his "prayer for peace", and I believe he truly succeeds. He poses some very difficult questions, but like the rest of us, does not have the answers. There may not be any answers yet, but at least someone is asking the right questions, and that is a start.

The bottom line is that it was an absolutely phenomenal film, with excellent acting all around, wonderful direction and an enchanting score from John Williams.

Until later...