Key Takeaways:
– Director Steven Spielberg remains unapologetic about the controversy stirred by his 2005 movie, Munich.
– Spielberg shared that his aim was to instigate a dialogue about the Palestinian-Israeli two-nation-state solution.
– Mossad, Israeli intelligence service, criticized the film for inaccuracies and misrepresentation.
– Despite the controversy, the movie has grossed in $131 million globally.
The Spotlight on Spielberg’s Munich
Steven Spielberg, globally renowned for hits like Jaws and Jurassic Park, found a different beast with his 2005’s film, Munich. The film scripted a fictionalized narrative on assassinations that followed the tragic killing of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympic games. Despite the criticism sparked, Spielberg remains unapologetic.
Beneath the Drama of the Historical Event
In a show of remarkable commitment, Spielberg only allowed himself three months to create this historical drama. Invited by Entertainment Weekly for a discussion on his monumental works, he used the opportunity to explain the impetus behind his urgency. Spielberg aimed to instigate an important conversation, highlighting the complexity of the Palestinian-Israeli two-nation-state solution.
Despite the political undertones, Spielberg clarified that the movie was not built on a political stance. It did not endorse any issue; its sole intention was to showcase Israel’s reaction to the distressing attack on their athletes in Munich.
The Controversy You Need to Know About
The controversy budding from the release of Munich captured global attention. Spielberg did not shy away from the drama. Instead, he explained that the film’s portrayal of Mossad agents, showing their humanistic side and their internal dilemmas, infused a fresh perspective in the narrative.
Contrary to popular expectations, Spielberg intended the film to go beyond being a simple action-packed thriller. His central focus was on the questioning soldiers on the ground, a facet that everyone seemed to have misunderstood.
The Response to Spielberg’s Munich
As Spielberg revealed, the conversation that followed the release of the Munich film set people on edge. Some of the feedback bordered on the absurd, including a critique from director Judd Apatow‘s film, Knocked Up.
Former agents of Mossad were vocal about their disapproval, stressing on the film’s inaccuracies in depicting the organization’s operations. They disagreed with Spielberg’s choice of source material, criticized the choice of an all-male assassin team, and refuted the portrayed reluctance among assassins.
Mossad contested the narrative that a single group carried out all the assassinations. They stated that a much larger team was involved in the operation. Yet, regardless of the controversy, the film grossed $131 million worldwide, though it only made $47 million in the U.S, marking it as one of Spielberg’s least successful films domestically.
Conclusion: Munich in Retrospect
Despite the fuming critique, Spielberg maintains his stance, remaining unfazed and refusing to reframe his narrative. Available now for streaming on Starz, Munich continues to generate conversation about an important historical event. Spielberg has not only added another significant piece to his storied directing career but also sparked a much-needed dialogue about a sensitive geopolitical issue.
