Munich is a beautifully shot film. The story is inspired by the events following the 1972 Olympics massacre.
When it first came out I knew that it was a revenge story and this put me off seeing it. Then a friend recommended it and I became curious. It’s complex, compassionate and critical of revenge and violence. This message is communicated through sensitive character development.
The film does show things from a western perspective but it does this well. To this degree it tries very hard to be balanced and I think that it is reasonably so. The characters are great - an odd fivesome thrown together, quirky and amateurish as they are professional. As they blunder through their missions their bonds grow. The predominantly light hearted mood in their first meetings is scarcely shaken by a more mature member with a serious tone. But this background mood casts a shadow. As time goes by the blood on their hands thickens. Their moral dilemmas seep to the surface and leave them brooding and haunted.
“Do you know why we’re here?” is what the assassins say to their targets before carrying out their work. It’s chilling. Yet behind this cold-blooded facade is something full of life and love and complexity. These are very human characters struggling through life. Trying to do what is right as far as they can see. But as things progress they start to fall. Those that survive start to strain morally and emotionally as they come to the brutal realisation that should be shouted more frequently….
Violence breeds violence.