To call "Munich" a masterpiece is to diminish Spielberg's good films. "Munich" is a mix of absurdity and good acting, but
is mainly a vehicle for manipulation and anti-Israeli sentiment. There are ways to express your beliefs subtly and effectively. Spielberg and Kushner present their views with the subtlety of a bull driving a bulldozer. One needs to question Spielberg's true directorial skill after seeing this film.
The characters are as flat as playing cards. There is Avner, the main protagonist; leader of the "hit squad." It is interesting that a man would willingly leave his wife, two months from delivering their first child, to pursue a possibly fatal, definitely dangerous mission. Avner's strong allegiance to Israel or strong motivation to defend Israel is never explored adequately. The audience only is made aware that Avner was "abandoned to a kibbutz" by his mother and that he loves to cook. How can one forget Avner's gazing at a kitchen display? Of course, all government agents dream of souffles, not getaways during their missions. The character's naivety is totally unbelievable, as is the rapid onset of paranoia towards the end of the film. Avner rips his wife and new child away from family and familiar surroundings to live in the security of a Brooklyn neighborhood. If one fears Arab reprisal, New York cannot be the safest destination. Equally amazing is the fact that Spielberg, known for making films for general audiences, can be accused of including gratuitous sex in this movie. The vulgar scene of Avner sweating over his wife while "dreaming" of the Olympic murders is quite dramatic and unnecessary.
Other scenes cannot be said to be quite as serious. Avner's handler is alone with him twice, both times nibbling on baklava. Is this symbolism for Avner's being in a "sticky situation?" Even stickier is the scene when Avner's handler comes to Brooklyn to urge the agent's return to Israel. Could the now-absent World Trade Center towers perhaps have had arrows pointing at them? Was this painful reminder possibly an attempt to link events? The daughter of a Mossad target perhaps mirrors the appearance of the girl in the red dress in "Schindler's List."
This mishmash of a movie clearly blends tragedy with comedy. The Mossad "hit squad" is portrayed as a bunch of ordinary guys who happen to freelance as agents. This bizarre development is heightened by the inclusion of one unbelievably comical scene. The Israelis are staying in a "safe house." Suddenly, someone knocks at the door. Who could it be? Of course, it's Arab terrorists who were given the same address. Instead of dispatching the enemy, these pals share the property. Two agents argue over musical selections.
Another unintentionally funny scene concerns one target, a translator living in Italy. The moviegoer can see what is coming when the translator buys a bottle of milk. There is no use crying over this spilled milk. Watching the agents hesitate with weapons drawn, one cannot help but be amazed. It seems unlikely that a government's spy agency would hire such amateurs. Another absurdity is the request by a Mossad superior that the agents provide receipts. What a fabulous way to create a trail during a supposedly covert mission! Logic seems to have been abandoned.
This movie could have been a dramatic masterpiece, instead it is a poorly structured mess, wasting the time and talents of good actors. Spielberg's zeal to present a certain viewpoint swayed his directorial sense.