Film review

Munich and the lost irony

Chandana Silva

CINEMA: Munich is a film reconstructed on the 1972 attack, killing 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists. The Israel retaliation wipes out 9 individuals out of the 11 who had planned the massacre. The mass scale manslaughter shakes the spectator violently.

Avner (Eric Bana) is sent with four others to track down and kill the Palestinians. They track down their victims with ease by throwing money to informants and blowing up the men with remote control devices.

As this goes on viewers become exhausted watching similar attacks without any counter attacks or other obstacles. In fact, there are no investigations or police looking for the people responsible for the various explosions, mainly in hotels. Nor do we see news on media about the string of killings.

So the result is that we see only a series of killings and the assailants moving freely and openly without being suspected by anyone. Some instances we don't even see the Palestinians reacting to their men being killed.

Counter balance

There seems to be a certain amount of counter balance when the grieving families of the 11 athletes are shown on television during the crisis. However, when the Palestinians are systematically killed no reference is made to their kith and kin.

What type of a cinematic experience would one gain from a film packed with brutal killings, offered to the audience? What sort of creativity can be generated with such a script in disturbing the audience? However, it seems today, attitudes have changed and film makers try to exploit situations.

As a work of cinematic expression, the film must touch the heart of the spectator deeply, evoking feelings that lead to an unforgettable audio visual experience. Here in Munich there is a vacuum between the film and the audience. An experience we cannot come to terms with.

To give some visual interest a roving camera has been frequently used. Tracks, pans and crane shots change the view point rapidly. Usually, these type of camera manipulations are used to create aesthetic beauty.

Here, of course, these manipulations are used to establish background or action details. One cleverly designed shot is when Avner talks to his baby daughter over the phone. He is crying. The camera is on a low angle. He falls back on the bed crying and closes his eyes.

The camera rises up to a high angle shot and shows him covering his eyes with both hands. This is an emotionally and visually attractive shot. Special effects are very real and powerful. At one instance blood and milk mixes up under a dead man's body showing a very unpleasant and gruesome situation.

Glaring oversight

In a certain scene the leader Avner is putting out a table lamp to signal the correct time to set off the explosives in the adjoining room, which nearly kills him as the men who trigger the radio device act immediately seeing the light.

As men handling this type of a job they should have at least counted to ten allowing their leader to get out of the room.

This looks a glaring oversight in such an operation. The entire film is loaded heavily with violence and spreading feelings of hatred. By just clipping off two intimate love making scenes from the beginning and the end, the film cannot be suitable for unrestricted audience.

However, the director had created these scenes without causing distaste or embarrassment. We are unable to understand why they were clipped off. If it is for the sake of changing the original R rating there is more harmful violence in the balance scenes of the film. Blowing up people with heavy explosives is no fun.

It appears that the whole plan of the film in Tony Kushner's screen play had not reached the expectations of the audiences. If the sole motive was to show the elimination of the Palestinians who planned the Olympic massacre then it is a different film.

If a movie is made for mass audiences to enjoy and appreciate humanity it takes another shape.

Conflicts

Taking the world at large we find that there are conflicts for acquisition of geographical areas or detesting certain races. We know that Palestinians and the Israeli conflict had been there for a long time in history.

In the modern era with the advancement of science, fiercely destructive devices have been invented which these people use to destroy one another. Even now this is taking place. Munich is the film version based on true incidents and information from some of those who were involved in the macabre.

Destruction

This aggressive nature towards other human beings should be regarded as degrading by the world communities. Countries that make sophisticated weapons are proud of their achievements while we know in the backdrop they are sold for destruction for human life.

Two characters that create some interest are the French informants. Their cool attitude, soft spoken but approaching direct to the point is attractive. The chief, an old man living in a villa with a large family and a lot of children looks quiet happy and harmless.

The luncheon party in the huge garden is created to give vivid aspects of the situation in one scene. These people show a liking to Avner because he pays more and they tell him this fact frankly.

Dull picture

These characters are well played and absorbing, totally different to the killers. The informants really add some colour to the dull picture generally created throughout the film.

Night scenes, interiors and explosions are predominant. The crisis at the airport is not detailed well enough for the audience to get involved in what is happening.

True, it may be interpreted closed to the real confusion, but in a film it has to be reconstructed in the script in such a way sufficient information could be extracted by the viewers.

In the core of this film what transpires is the meaningless nature of espionage and counter espionage. The end of Avner is reduced to nothing, a shivering lonesome figure. The director's capability in constructing this final scene reduces the hero to a poor man being hunted down and running to find safety for himself, his child and wife.

He is not even aware of the forces chasing behind him. Think of the time he blew up so many men without a feeling of remorse and unavoidably, a father and a little daughter.

At the end of Munich, it is so depressing that if there was any irony in the situation even that is completely lost.

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