I need a more clever title than "Movie Review" any suggestions?
Just got back from watching Munich, and I have to say, I was kind of worried because of the hype and the "oh you have to see it its so good" that I heard from people. Now I mean no offence to those people who told me so or will tell me again to see a movie, but there's nothing worse than seeing a movie that was reccomended by people you trust and then its not at all what you thought or hoped.
However, this is NOT the case. Munich was a very thought-provoking movie, much in the way that all truly great non-comedic movies are. In fact, you'll remember if you read my musings often enough, that I said the same thing about Syriana, which I propose would be a very powerful 1-2 punch to watch together as a commentary on the state of the world. I also think that might be emotionally and mentally overwhelming so I won't attempt it anytime soon.
I'm going to assume that most of you know what the movie is about, and if you don't, then go read a summary somewhere, like www.imdb.com or www.tribute.ca . (On a separate note, if you are a movie "fanatic" like myself, then you could spent literally days at a time on www.imdb.com - Internet Movie Database.) Fast forward, and here we go.
Eric Bana delivers the performance I've been waiting for since seeing his awesome potential first in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down, and later in Troy, (although I thought his role was criminally cast aside so Brad Pitt could steal the glory and I'm not really a Pitt-hater). His ability to transform himself from a gung-ho ra-ra son of Israel into a paranoid (although is it really paranoia when its likely they ARE out to get you?) paranoid isn't the word...tormented THATS the word I'm looking for ;) So anyhow, hey conveys tormented anguish over his own actions so very well that you can almost feel the pain he feels. What is good though is that you know a great deal of his pain comes from the feeling of others' pain, from the athletes killed to those he himself kills to his family.
What this boils down to most of all for me watching him though, was how HUMAN he managed to make his character when in the midst of such inhumane atrocities. One particular scene of brutality is almost forgivable in the context of why it takes place. (see the movie and you will probably be able to guess a few like that but I mean particularly a scene on a houseboat in the Netherlands).
I could tell you with no word of a lie that Munich is worth seeing for Bana's performance alone, but what makes it even better is that he's not the only brilliant performance.
Geoffrey Rush, Ciaran Hinds, and Daniel Craig all make great appearances in the movie, bringing to it a greater depth of character and realness. This is a great cast ensembled, and in some ways an ensemble cast, but there is no doubt to the centrality of Bana's character.
Rush plays the Musshad (Israeli CIA more or less in a gross oversimplification) senior who oversees Bana's group, and does so very well. However, I was far more impressed with Hands (if you recognize him, then it would most likely be as the Russian president in the Ben Affleck installement of the Jack Ryan series The Sum of All Fears, with his performance being one of the better ones. He was also in Road to Perdition) who shines in the role of pseudo-mentor Carl to Bana's Avner. Carl is the older slightly more experienced agent who is assembled in the group of which Avner (Bana) is leader. Although he is just as lethal as the rest, it is his quiet restraint and dignity which brings some sanity to an insane existence, and it is his questioning of their mission which starts to get Avner to question things himself. I am quite excited to see him further in other projects.
This was also my first viewing experience for the new Mr. 007; Daniel Craig, the man slated as the next Bond. Not having seen much of him other than on tv reports, (I have yet to watch his Layer Cake but I hear its a decent flick, sort of a slower cousin to Lock Stock's clever kid) I wasn't sure how I felt about him. He did a very good job of convincing me I needn't worry too terribly much about Bond (but fear not I still HATE MGM/UA for firing Pierce Brosnan). Craig plays Steve, yet another member of Avner's group of 5, who at the beginning seems to be moulded around the Sean Bean character in Ronin, but luckily for us, is not nearly as easily dispatched. He is the more gung ho without being vulgar about it, and is also fiercely loyal to Avner even if he doesn't always agree. Good role for him, hopefully he can tweak that toughness with a bit of polish and make the transition to 007.
I'm feeling rambly now, so that seems to be a good place to leave it, with the parting comment that I fully agree with what I perceive to be SS's message here (Steven Spielsberg you idiots) that nothing like what happened in Munich and began will ever end in Peace...
It seems befitting this that we should end this entry with the words of a great man of peace who might have been misinterpreted by some of the characters in this movie when he said:
However, this is NOT the case. Munich was a very thought-provoking movie, much in the way that all truly great non-comedic movies are. In fact, you'll remember if you read my musings often enough, that I said the same thing about Syriana, which I propose would be a very powerful 1-2 punch to watch together as a commentary on the state of the world. I also think that might be emotionally and mentally overwhelming so I won't attempt it anytime soon.
I'm going to assume that most of you know what the movie is about, and if you don't, then go read a summary somewhere, like www.imdb.com or www.tribute.ca . (On a separate note, if you are a movie "fanatic" like myself, then you could spent literally days at a time on www.imdb.com - Internet Movie Database.) Fast forward, and here we go.
Eric Bana delivers the performance I've been waiting for since seeing his awesome potential first in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down, and later in Troy, (although I thought his role was criminally cast aside so Brad Pitt could steal the glory and I'm not really a Pitt-hater). His ability to transform himself from a gung-ho ra-ra son of Israel into a paranoid (although is it really paranoia when its likely they ARE out to get you?) paranoid isn't the word...tormented THATS the word I'm looking for ;) So anyhow, hey conveys tormented anguish over his own actions so very well that you can almost feel the pain he feels. What is good though is that you know a great deal of his pain comes from the feeling of others' pain, from the athletes killed to those he himself kills to his family.
What this boils down to most of all for me watching him though, was how HUMAN he managed to make his character when in the midst of such inhumane atrocities. One particular scene of brutality is almost forgivable in the context of why it takes place. (see the movie and you will probably be able to guess a few like that but I mean particularly a scene on a houseboat in the Netherlands).
I could tell you with no word of a lie that Munich is worth seeing for Bana's performance alone, but what makes it even better is that he's not the only brilliant performance.
Geoffrey Rush, Ciaran Hinds, and Daniel Craig all make great appearances in the movie, bringing to it a greater depth of character and realness. This is a great cast ensembled, and in some ways an ensemble cast, but there is no doubt to the centrality of Bana's character.
Rush plays the Musshad (Israeli CIA more or less in a gross oversimplification) senior who oversees Bana's group, and does so very well. However, I was far more impressed with Hands (if you recognize him, then it would most likely be as the Russian president in the Ben Affleck installement of the Jack Ryan series The Sum of All Fears, with his performance being one of the better ones. He was also in Road to Perdition) who shines in the role of pseudo-mentor Carl to Bana's Avner. Carl is the older slightly more experienced agent who is assembled in the group of which Avner (Bana) is leader. Although he is just as lethal as the rest, it is his quiet restraint and dignity which brings some sanity to an insane existence, and it is his questioning of their mission which starts to get Avner to question things himself. I am quite excited to see him further in other projects.
This was also my first viewing experience for the new Mr. 007; Daniel Craig, the man slated as the next Bond. Not having seen much of him other than on tv reports, (I have yet to watch his Layer Cake but I hear its a decent flick, sort of a slower cousin to Lock Stock's clever kid) I wasn't sure how I felt about him. He did a very good job of convincing me I needn't worry too terribly much about Bond (but fear not I still HATE MGM/UA for firing Pierce Brosnan). Craig plays Steve, yet another member of Avner's group of 5, who at the beginning seems to be moulded around the Sean Bean character in Ronin, but luckily for us, is not nearly as easily dispatched. He is the more gung ho without being vulgar about it, and is also fiercely loyal to Avner even if he doesn't always agree. Good role for him, hopefully he can tweak that toughness with a bit of polish and make the transition to 007.
I'm feeling rambly now, so that seems to be a good place to leave it, with the parting comment that I fully agree with what I perceive to be SS's message here (Steven Spielsberg you idiots) that nothing like what happened in Munich and began will ever end in Peace...
It seems befitting this that we should end this entry with the words of a great man of peace who might have been misinterpreted by some of the characters in this movie when he said:
"Be the change that you want to see in the world"
posted by Gavin27 @ 8:13 PM
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