jprochazka Review of Munich

Munich (2005)

Huh? Did we see the same movie? I have a ton of questions.

[1/10 · 6 March 2006]

Americans helped get terrorists over the fence? This is so irresponsible. It's the first of many contrived scenes. • One Jewish athlete holds off eight terrorists at his door so Spielberg can set up tension? He didn't look like the 300 pound gorilla that was historically at that door. • We're supposed to believe that the terrorists were watching the news. The news was US and in1972 there was no Cable, no satellite. What news were they watching? German? We're supposed to believe that the Germans actually broadcast vital sniper positions to the terrorists? Eric Bana's character, Avner, is told he may have to leave Israel for years to finish his mission. Why did Avner move his family to NewYork? There was no good reason except to get his World Trade Center shot. • Jews were not mad at Golda Meir for not negotiating with the terrorists. It's preposterous to even make that claim in the film. Why put American money in a box? Wouldn't they use Deutsch Marks? He was in Germany. In 1972, there was no way to spend US dollars in Europe • Why 6 boxes? Couldn't the money fit in one? Why is his German friend at the lunch meeting where he is going to ask for the names of the people responsible for Munich? Dialogue was so stupid, "If you tell anyone . . . I don't know what I'll do." • Why in the first killing of the terrorists do they look nervous? Wasn't Avner Mossad? He was also a former bodyguard to the prime minister. Now he looks like a scared school boy. What? • No one heard those shots? I've been to Europe; those high arches would have echoed that sound for miles. • Why are they celebrating or rejoicing their killing? These are trained Mossad agents. No? • Why is Avner haunted by the Munich games and have these visions? He wasn't there. • Why would an affluent Parisian Arab like Mohammad Hamshari not have a phone at his desk? • That whole scene with the girl coming back is not only a cheap plot device to pull at our heart strings, it also is totally unrealistic and messed up. If you look closely, it's so messed up they had to drive the car backwards to arrive back in front of the house, otherwise they would have been spotted by Ciaran Hines. I am supposed to believe that the bomb expert, Robert, had to remove two pieces of tape and give Ciaran Hines enough time to run to the car and stop him? Wouldn't he have the key ready to go? • He returns to Israel for his child's birth. Why can't he go home? Obviously, he did. So, what's the drama? Again, why make his wife leave? • His Dad was a war hero, but in prison for his birth? What's going on? • When they have the scene with the hotel bomb, why does he have to be in the next room? The bed spring bomb device tells you when the victim has lied down? • Why does the Arab say he looks like a Swede? Don't Swedes have blond hair and blue eyes? Did I miss a joke? • Bad enough he is in the hotel room next to the bomb, why would he switch off the lamp so close to the door. Wouldn't a trained Mossad agent take precautions? • Why is the only damage to the Couple next door the woman's eyes? How did that happen? • What's up with Louis and Papa? They say they don't work with governments. Who else would want names of the people responsible for the Munich Massacre? Rich Americans? Why? This is RIDICULOUS!! • Why does he want to go to Beirut? Why are they not allowed to go to Arab countries? In Beirut, in the dress in drag scene o Why does everyone get shot in sequence o This scene is full of problems. Why do all these Mossad agents run down stairs in a single file? Why don't any of the Arabs shoot these guys as they are running down the stairs in a single file line? • Why would Louis have the PLO and Avner's team shack up in the same safe house? • Why do they yell their terrorist affiliation to strangers? Why speak English and then German? • Language is all messed up. • Avner's conversation with the PLO guy was terrible. In Greece, why does Hans bring an extra grenade, especially after Robert tells them that they are all old and should be thrown away? Robert says, "I am trained to dismantle bombs, not to make them." THINK ABOUT THIS!!! HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY DISMANTLE A BOMB AND NOT KNOW HO TO MAKE ONE! Why in the middle of the film are all these trained Mossad agents now questioning what they are doing? • Am I the only one that found a Mossad agent sniffing the air for the scent to Carl's door as absolutely ridiculous? He says "I saw her first," walks away, and then, I guess his Mossad secret agent senses kick in, and he comes back to the door. Why did they use Zip air pump guns to kill the Dutch woman? Why not sue guns? o Also, why is it when they're screwing and loading their zip guns, instead of pulling the gun out of the drawer and shoot them, she instead flashes her right breast. This whole scene is ridiculous • Why after Hans is missing do we find him sitting on a park bench? How did we get there? • The rest of the film descends into total chaos with him going crazy, and by this point, I just can't believe this film got a nod for best picture.