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MUNICH

 ABOUT THE MOVIE

Genre: Drama
Starring: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Geoffrey Rush, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, Ciarán Hinds
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rating: M18 (Violent)
Year Made: 2005

 


SPECIAL FEATURES

- An Introduction by Steven Spielberg
- Munich: The Mission, The Team

 


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Languages: English
Subtitles: English, Thai, Indonesian, Cantonese, Mandarin Traditional
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Running Time: 2 hrs 43 mins
Region Code: 3
Distributor: HVN Berjaya

 

 


SYNOPSIS:
 

Set in the aftermath of the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics, Munich recounts the dramatic story of the secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and assassinate 11 Palestinians believed to have planned the 1972 Munich massacre -- and the personal toll this mission of revenge takes on the team and the man who led it. Eric Bana stars as the Mossad agent charged with leading the band of specialists brought together for this operation.

MOVIE REVIEW:

It’s never easy to transform historical events to the big screen. Though there are numerous sources and archives to turn to, at the end of the day, the filmmakers themselves have to rely on their own judgment to determine the best-presented truth. For “Munich”, renowned director Steven Spielberg turns to George Jonas’ “Vengeance” for the recount of the secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and assassinate 11 Palestinians believed to have planned the 1972 Munich massacre.

Eric Bana (“Hulk”) plays Avner, the leader of the squad, a loving husband to his wife and a doting father to his newborn daughter. Caught in the web of love for his family and country, he’s determined to finish the mission yet he’s reluctant to leave his love ones for a long period of time. This is supposedly a tale about humanity that Spielberg wishes to convey instead of dwelling on the issue of who’s right and who’s wrong. The Palestinians or the Israelis? For whatever damage Avner and his gang imposed on the Palestinians, the latter will strike back even harder.

Although the subject matter on hand is heavy, seasoned storyteller Steven Spielberg once again shines in his part to create a realistic, captivating recount. From the opening scenes with real news footages inserted to the various assassination missions carried out by the gang, Spielberg and his longtime collaborators such as cinematographer Janusz Kaminski and production designer Rick Carter superbly carved an astounding picture that veers between a good old crime thriller and a historical based event.

Shot on locations in countries such as Paris, Hungary, New York and captivating performances put in by Daniel Craig (the new James Bond), Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, and Ciarán Hinds greatly justify the almost 3 hours running time. Perhaps by editing it to a tighter 150 minutes might result in a more tension filled movie.

After its failure to garner any Academy Awards despite five nominations including Best Picture, Spielberg has admitted in one of his interviews that it might take years for “Munich” to recoup it’s production costs. Even though “Munich” is definitely not a film that is without its merits. Give “Munich” a try if you miss the theatrical run earlier this year. This is by far the most matured piece of work by one of the greatest director of our time after “Schindler’s List”. Popmous bullshit this is not, Spielberg has given us an emotional and astounding political thriller worthy of mention years down the road.

SPECIAL FEATURES :

An Introduction by Steven Spielberg - A 5 minutes intro by Steven Spielberg in which he discussed the developments of the plot and how he approaches it.

The Man, The Mission - An approximately 12 minutes feature that touches on the how the screenwriters developed the script and how Spielberg stumbles upon Eric Bana. Surprisingly, its his performance in "Hulk" that captures his attention.

There isn't much supplements bundled in this disc. But if you are one who normally skip the tedious extras, then this edition is the right one for you.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. , the sound mix on the whole is particularly strong during the action sequences. Dialogues is crisp and clear and John William's score is touching at times though seriously in lack of a memorable theme. Shot in mostly dark and gritty lighting, the black colours are well-balanced in the transfer. Overall, the visual and sound departments are top-notch.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

 

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Alternative Opinion:

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Other titles from HVN Berjaya:

. Jarhead


. Two for the Money

. King Kong

. American Pie: Band Camp

. Surviving Christmas

. Perfect Man, The


. Madagascar

 

 


This review is made possible with the kind support from HVN Berjaya

 


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