MUNICH

Grace is a quality that is almost indefineable. Whether in art, social etiquette or theology, grace is not an easy thing to explain. But this is the one word that kept coming to mind after processing my viewing experience of Munich, the best Spielberg film since Schindler’s List. And although Munich is not in the same league as that award winning masterpiece, everything about Spielberg’s latest work has a remarkable sense of grace. The pacing of the plot, the movement of the actors, the choreography of the violence, the dialogue, the cinematography, all are imbued with a transcendent sense of grace – an ability that Spielberg seems particularly adept at (and something he perfected in Schindler’s List). Moreover, it’s amazing how all these elements come together in Munich, flowing with a supernatural prosaic rhythm and giving the film a mystical sense of cohesion. For although Munich is a narrative, it flows like a poem, as Spielberg crafts a powerful and disturbing piece of understated work.

Furthermore, Munich is shockingly violent, and yet lyrical. Because even though the violence is graphic, it's handled with such taste and with such grace, that it manages to be explicit and disconcerting without being exploitative. Munich is historical, and yet contemporary; as Spielberg uses the past to comment on realities in the present. Munich is political, and yet unbiased; as the controversial subject matter is handled with a great deal of intelligence, balance and subtlety. Munich is provocative, and yet silent - educing debates with no easy resolutions and raising questions with no easy answers. Munich is moral, but not sanctimonious; as the film simply inspires meditation on matters of violence and conscience rather than telling the audience what to think. Munich is powerful and compelling, but remarkably low key; as Spielberg minimizes the use of Hollywood devices to accentuate the drama. And finally, Munich is aesthetic, and yet disturbing; as Spielberg paints images that are both arresting and unsettling.

The bottomline: Spielberg has proven time and time again his ability to forsake the fantasy genre and tackle subject matter that is dark and difficult. Munich is further proof of this as Spielberg creates a near perfect moral meditation on the nature of terror and retaliation.

On the Rickter-Scale, Munich rates a 8.5 out of 10.

THE RICKTER-SCALE:
10 (A+) – extraordinary, a masterpiece
9.5/9.0 (A) – exceptional, a milestone
8.5/8.0 (A-) – excellent, a classic
7.5/7.0 (B+) – very good, a near classic
6.5/6.0 (B) – good
5.5/5.0 (B-) – fair
4.5/4.0 (C+) – poor
3.5/3.0 (C) – very poor, a near disaster
2.5/2.0 (C-) – terrible, a total disaster
1.5/1.0 (D+) – torture, a catastrophe
0.5/0.0 (F) – abysmal, the end of film as an artform