Critic Reviews
Munich (2005) Rank 3 Reviews
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based on (378) reviews
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San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
MovieMaze (Thomas Straßer)
Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Meals play a big role in the imagery of Munich: mundane, ordinary scenes in which a number of people gather around a table to share food. The normalcy of the act stands in stark contrast to the characters engaging in it: assassins, intelligence ...read the complete Munich movie review at Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Tony Medley
Another very long Spielberg epic, this time dealing with the
controversial "Wrath of God" hit squads allegedly sent out by Golda
Meir's Israeli government to wreak vengeance against the Black September
terrorists who ...read the complete Munich movie review at Tony Medley
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, members of an extremist Palestinian group called Black September infiltrated the Olympic compound, killing two Israeli athletes and taking nine as hostages. 21 hours later, five of the eight terrorists andall of ...read the complete Munich movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
JoBlo's Movie Emporium ("JoBlo")
This was a great movie in a plentitude of manners, but at the end of the day, at the end of the film and its message, I simply didn’t find myself emotionally entangled in the lives and cares of the people leading the show, and when a film is trying to ...read the complete Munich movie review at JoBlo's Movie Emporium ("JoBlo")
DVD Clinic (Jason Adams)
Following the Black September terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympics, the Israeli government secretly retaliates by dispatching a team of Mossad agents to eliminate one-by-one the Palestinians responsible. ...read the complete Munich movie review at DVD Clinic (Jason Adams)
ShowBIZ Data
One thing critics agree on about Steven Spielberg's Munich: it will give audiences something more than popcorn to chew on. Whether they can swallow it is another matter. "Mr. Spielberg has been pummeling audiences with his virtuosity for nearly as long ...read the complete Munich movie review at ShowBIZ Data
Cinema Blend
Munich stems from the 1972 Black September capture and eventual killing of Israeli athletes at the Olympics in Munich. Those events are shown in the first ten minutes, at which point the movie moves to its real depiction: the consequences of those ...read the complete Munich movie review at Cinema Blend
Future Movies (Ed Colley)
With Munich, Steven Spielberg has knowingly taken a giant leap from his safety zone and confronts one of the most intractable conflicts in the world at the moment. Using the murder of Israeli athletes in the 1972 Munich Olympics and the subsequent ...read the complete Munich movie review at Future Movies (Ed Colley)
Wolfpack Productions (Sujit 'Chief' Chawla)
CHUD (Devin Faraci)
To say that Munich is the most important film released this year is putting it mildly. To say that it's the best is being generous. ...read the complete Munich movie review at CHUD (Devin Faraci)
Moviehole (Adam Weeks)
Spielberg's best film since "Saving Private Ryan". ...read the complete Munich movie review at Moviehole (Adam Weeks)
Supercala.com (John Venable)
Not even my favorite Spielberg film of 2005. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Supercala.com (John Venable)
The New York Times (Manohla Dargis)
More than anything, Munich is a slammin' entertainment filled with dazzling set pieces and geometric camerawork. ...read the complete Munich movie review at The New York Times (Manohla Dargis)
Uruguay Total (Enrique Buchichio)
Entre la complejidad casi documental de su trama y su impecable ejecución cinematográfica, las casi tres horas de duración no se sienten. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Uruguay Total (Enrique Buchichio)
Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)
Spielberg once again proves why he is the master of his craft. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)
Cinenganos (Luis Martinez)
Spielberg ha dejado algo claro: el ser humano sigue siendo la misma bestia sin razón. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Cinenganos (Luis Martinez)
Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
Like the superior Syriana , this isn't a Middle Eastern tale that offers much hope. It's just bloodstained history. And if we don't remember that history, Spielberg says, we learn nothing. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
Film Snobs (Jimmy O)
The Best Spielberg Film of the Past Five Months ...read the complete Munich movie review at Film Snobs (Jimmy O)
filmcritic.com (Chris Barsanti)
a brave attempt to wrestle with the impossible ...read the complete Munich movie review at filmcritic.com (Chris Barsanti)
Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)
click to read review [Greek] ...read the complete Munich movie review at Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)
IGN Movies (Todd Gilchrist)
The most mature and unsentimental movie Steven Spielberg has ever made. ...read the complete Munich movie review at IGN Movies (Todd Gilchrist)
Draven99's Musings (Chris Beaumont)
Hollywood Jesus
DVD Authority.com ("Fusion3600")
Orlando Weekly (Steve Schneider)
Nehring The Edge
The Phantom Tollbooth
Moviecentre.net
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
Munich, I happened to be reading and reviewing the recently published book New Hollywood Violence, which contains an intriguing chapter by Thomas Leitch called “Aristotle v. the Action Film.” Leitch's chapter, in which he compares the typical Hollywood ...read the complete Munich movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Would you feel anxiety or remorse if you pulled the trigger on Osama bin Laden, however satisfying or even necessary it might be? Munich argues that finding him in our rifle sights would leave any of us a different person. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Portland Oregonian (Shawn Levy)
With its protracted storytelling, its fuzzy philosophizing and its less-than-compelling leading man, it's far less gripping than the subject matter deserves. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Portland Oregonian (Shawn Levy)
Film Monthly (Hank Yuloff)
Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
A melodramatic yet accessible drama that's perfectly in keeping with the politically turbulent times. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
As a piece of filmmaking, Munich is rarely less than gripping. As a political essay, as a brief against despair, it is far less convincing. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
An unlovable movie. It's morally ambiguous, which means there's no real rooting interest. It's episodic, with the same kinds of episodes repeated over and over, so there's little sense of forward motion. It feels philosophically and politically confused, ...read the complete Munich movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
Cinema Signals by The Filmiliar Cineaste
Zertinet Movies (Steven Snyder)
Only weeks after the American release of Hany Abu-Assad’s moving “Paradise Now,” the intimate and unnerving tale of two Palestinian suicide bombers, Steven Spielberg offers a more global perspective on the political and societal struggles of the ...read the complete Munich movie review at Zertinet Movies (Steven Snyder)
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
How unlike director Steven Spielberg to begin production on his technically proficient "Munich" with a less-than-compelling script.
More than any living filmmaker, he's identified with carefully honed narratives and sharply etched characters. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
In the end Avner is driven almost mad by the assassinations and the reprisals by the Palestinians. He can find no rest, no safety. He does not know who to trust. It is a perfect example of the personal cost of revenge. The movie suggests that most ...read the complete Munich movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Resurrected by the necromancy of digital special effects, the twin towers in the final shot cast a shadow over the three hours that passed before, making the film appear even bleaker in retrospect. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
In the four days since I saw Munich, I've been surprised with the way the movie has lingered in my mind. I initially left the theater with more complaints than praise and I still feel that Spielberg's ambitions aren't really borne out by the film itself. ...read the complete Munich movie review at NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
Hollywood.com (Kit Bowen)
Perhaps a tad long-winded, Steven Spielberg's Munich is a still a well-crafted, superbly acted film...let's just say, it'll get you talking. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Hollywood.com (Kit Bowen)
Movies for Guys
Whether or not the guilt and ultimate remorse Avner feels is justified is inconsequential to the fact that Mossad although deliberate in their actions, are justified in punishing the guilty. The overall theme of Munich is nothing more than an ...read the complete Munich movie review at Movies for Guys
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)
The rare action film that is as full of heart-rending dialogue as it is explosions and point-blank shootings. ...read the complete Munich movie review at South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)
EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
A fictionalized account that underplays the Israeli role, Munich nonetheless is an entertaining HOLLYWOOD espionage thriller that while set in 1972, is also timely today, and though unfolding as a thriller it aims to be taken seriously as a morality tale ...read the complete Munich movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Eric Bana and Geoffrey Rush in MunichAmidst furious speculation and a spectacular lack of hype, Steven Spielberg has slipped in a melodramatic yet accessible drama that's perfectly in keeping with these politically turbulent times.The 1972 Olympics were ...read the complete Munich movie review at Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
It's a smart, mesmerizing and often angry film, from a truly confident filmmaker, but it remains, maddeningly, just beyond our grasp. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
Movie Habit (Marty Mapes)
A great conversation starter that suffers from Spielberg's penchant for mass entertainment ...read the complete Munich movie review at Movie Habit (Marty Mapes)
TV Guide's Movie Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
Spielberg and screenwriters Eric Roth and Pulitzer prize-winner Tony Kushner mute the superspy machinations in favor of examining the mission's personal and political ramifications. ...read the complete Munich movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
The Movie Chicks
11 Israeli athletes were tragically killed during the 1972 Munich Olympics; in the aftermath, the Mossad compile a list of 11 Palestinians who they believe were responsible for planning the terrorist act. The top officials in the Israeli government ...read the complete Munich movie review at The Movie Chicks
Aisle Seat (Mike McGranaghan)
It's inspiring that an ultra-successful director and a major Hollywood studio would have the guts to take on such an intense topic. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Aisle Seat (Mike McGranaghan)
Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer)
What saves the picture, apart from Spielberg's singular visual touch, derives from the personal instead of the political. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer)
Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Trembles, bubbles and booms with rage--every explosion shattering the idea that global warfare has ever had an end in sight. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
Once again, Spielberg turns history into a riveting suspense-thriller. ...read the complete Munich movie review at San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Munich ricochets all over the place, but it hits its target dead-on. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
It may take us years to work it all out. For a filmmaker who made his fortune providing instant gratification, though, this already looks like the boldest creative leap of all. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Newsday (Jan Stuart)
The film is a slick piece of work, yes, but one that has had people on all ends of the political spectrum arguing over it weeks before it had seen the light of a projector. On that score, I'd say mission accomplished. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Newsday (Jan Stuart)
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
The anxiety about becoming a killing machine is the main thing Spielberg wants to convey, and that comes across powerfully. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
This is new territory for Spielberg, and he completes the journey with honor. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
Everything that keeps it from being lovable could be looked upon as a virtue, and everything about it is intentional. ...read the complete Munich movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Spielberg deserves credit for pondering the high stakes and very visceral results. But he has called this his 'prayer for peace,' and it is winning some rote piety. ...read the complete Munich movie review at San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Zap2it.com (Dan Fienberg)
Pragmatic, ambivalent, conflicted and distancing, Munich is likely to serve as a Rorschach test that reads differently to every viewer. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Zap2it.com (Dan Fienberg)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Munich is less a persuasive political parable than an efficient espionage tale with psychological dimensions, which Spielberg manages to burnish with hard questions about dignity, decency and culpability. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
One of its strengths is that it does not pretend to have answers. ...read the complete Munich movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Always a better technical craftsman than a sophisticated story teller, Spielberg has come up with a flawed but fascinating, film. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Boulder Weekly (Thomas Delapa)
While this courageous film lacks in narrative dynamics -- and factual precisions -- it deserves a medal for suggesting a higher law than laid down by the vengeful god of nationalism. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Boulder Weekly (Thomas Delapa)
Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
movies.com (Dave White)
At the 1972 Olympics, Palestinian terrorists take Israeli athletes hostage and murder them. Afterward, an unofficial campaign of revenge takes place, as secret assassination squads hunt the men responsible. And then, after catching all the bad guys, ...read the complete Munich movie review at movies.com (Dave White)
Christianity Today (Peter T. Chattaway)
While we may or may not agree with Spielberg's take, to his credit he has asked us to address our current concerns by taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Christianity Today (Peter T. Chattaway)
Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Spielberg's muddying of the moral waters is already drawing heat, but it's to his credit as a filmmaker of consequence that he asks the hard questions and doesn't flinch from any unsettling truths that might emerge. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
Steven Spielberg seems embarrassed of his talent in `Munich'... ...read the complete Munich movie review at Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
MovieLegacy.com (Dan Geer)
/Film(Parth Vasa)
iF Magazine - DVD Review
DVD Review e-zine
Jackass Critics (Grim Ringler)
filmcritic.com
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
The Rewind Forums DVD Review
The World's Greatest Critic (J.C. Maçek III)
Maximum Movies (Max Einhorn)
UKscreen (Jason Korsner)
Fulvue Drive-in
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
MediaScreen.com
Movieeveryday.com (Scooter Thompson)
Chutry Experiment
Juicy Cerebellum (Alex Sandell)
Real Political Face Talk
The Boston Phoenix
Movie House Commentary
Comingsoon.net
cinemoniac.com
This is a very ambitious movie. It wants to show everything and everyone and tries to explain many facettes of the human mind. And it focuses on one of the most frightening aspects of modern life: terrorism.
Steven Spielberg manages to show both sides ...read the complete Munich movie review at cinemoniac.com
Cinema Blend (Joshua Tyler)
The Hip Pimple
Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
Comingsoon.net
itsvery Movie Reviews
Cinema Crazed (Neal Bailey)
Right Side of the Road (Mac VerStandig)
Darkmatters (Matt Adcock)
The world was watching in 1972 as 11 Israeli athletes were murdered at the Munich Olympics. This is the story of what happened next… and man it’s strong stuff too.
Thrilling but brutal, grim and highly paranoid – that’s a description which fits ...read the complete Munich movie review at Darkmatters (Matt Adcock)
Comingsoon.net
After the kidnapping of the Israeli team at the 1972 Munich Olympics by the terrorist group "Black September", an Israeli soldier (Eric Bana) is hired by the Mossad to take out those responsible. Assembling a diverse team of assassins, they start to go ...read the complete Munich movie review at Comingsoon.net
Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)
filmdeculte.com (Robert Hospyan)
filmdeculte.com
Bina007 Movie Reviews
IndyScribe (Rachel Wolfe)
One Movie a Day
The Red Right Hand (Matt Stogdon)
BoxOfficeCritic.com (Eileen Peterman)
DVDwolf (Rob Paul)
A Nutshell Review
Poffy The Cucumber's Movie Mania
Munich is not about Munich. Nor is it about events which followed the massacre of Israeli athletes. It is about Steven Spielberg's ego. And how far into Audacious he can drive it without becoming Oliver Stone. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Poffy The Cucumber's Movie Mania
TheFilmChair.com
Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
Even if it wasn't exactly historically accurate (the film is only "inspired by true events," after all), innocents are killed in the crossfire all the time when these kinds of missions are undertaken, and it's a cop-out for Spielberg to pretend otherwise. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Munich is both astonishing and frustrating. It's not easy to tell how much of the tone comes directly from Spielberg and how much comes from Kushner, who was called in to polish the script after Roth completed it. ...read the complete Munich movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Frank's Reel Reviews
Many know of the unforgettable events that unfolded during the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. An extremist Palestinian group known as Black September invaded the Olympic Village, killed two members of the Israeli Olympic team and took an ...read the complete Munich movie review at Frank's Reel Reviews
LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Munich is at best a muddled prayer for peace whose weakness stems not from its politics but from the misconception of its main character. Avner is not just a fictional character, but an absurdly improbable expression of Spielbergian schmaltz. ...read the complete Munich movie review at LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Rotten Tomatoes
BeyondHollywood.com
allesfilm.com (Thomas Taborsky)
Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)
The Cinematheque (Kevyn Knox)
Close-Up Film (Carol Allen)
The DVD Report
411mania.com (Chad Webb)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
The Lumière Reader
The Spinning Image (Keith Rockmael)
Ain't It Cool Movie Reviews (Harry Knowles)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City