MUNICH

I hadn’t got around to watching this before now because I had the idea that it wasn’t very good. Plus I also thought (based on the title) that it was a mere dramatization of the “Munich Massacre” at the 1972 Olympic Games, in which eleven Israeli athletes died, which didn’t appeal to me.

Wrong on both counts!

It’s a very good (albeit highly fictionalised) account of “Operation Wrath of God” in which a team of Mossad agents track down and try to assassinate various Arabs implicated in the 1972 kidnapping.

It’s an atypical Spielberg film, both in style and content -  so much so that I would never have guessed the director. It has a low-key, almost documentary, feel to it, which is emphasised by the absence of any big-name Hollywood stars.

Instead the film is underpinned by a quiet but commanding performance by Eric Bana, as the leader of the Mossad team, who gradually becomes disillusioned and paranoid.

Spielberg also skilfully weaves in sequences showing what did happen during the 1972 kidnapping, culminating in a bold climax where we see the German rescue attempt at Munich Airport failing, resulting in the hostages’ death, intercut with Bana making love to his wife in a crazed fashion as he tries to exorcise his demons. ‘ET’ it ain’t.

Before this we get some memorable action and suspense sequences, the best of which is one in Paris which Hitchcock himself would have been proud of.

Plus as a bonus we get to enjoy Daniel Craig trying (and failing) to master a South African accent.

Quite rightly this film got the thumbs up from the critics despite the inevitable complaints about inaccuracies and oversimplification of Middle East politics.

Provided those criticisms don’t worry you, you can sit back and enjoy a master film-maker at work in a film unlike any other in his glittering career.

But for an alternative view, check out The Guardian’s ranking of all Spielberg’s films, which has ‘Munich’ at a lowly 23. Then again they have the second Indiana Jones film at 3, so what do they know?

RATING: ✓✓ Catch It If You Can