| A couple of weeks ago Melinda and I watched Munich. I had been told by someone that they were not impressed. I, however, enjoyed it immensely. I picked it out expecting it to be boring, and so we didn't watch it until Saturday morning, knowing that if we had started it the Friday night we got it, after we got home at 9:30, we would never have made it. It was a wise decision: the movie is nearly three hours long. Nonetheless, I was impressed with a number of the themes and subjects tackled in the film. First of all, and most glaring to me (which is why I would guess Spielberg decided to make the movie at this time, as he, being a Hollywood cat, is no doubt against the current "war on terror") was the idea that you cannot defeat terrorist factions. The movie points out that once they have killed one terrorist, someone just as evil, if not worse, comes along to fill the position. This lends itself to the idea that you can never defeat the terror cells because they are not countries that can be "sanctioned against." They are free-roaming enterprises, which makes it very difficult to hang their leader and then negotiate with a party that takes over or better yet, put one in place that will do what you want. Rather, they have only their cause to concern them and when one is killed, someone else "steps up." It's like in Super Mario Brothers, when you kill the Koopa Troopa, then step off the screen only to return and find it is back again. Killing them is pointless, it might seem. And that's where you're wrong, my friend: every time you kill a Koopa, you get points, and points are critical to Super Mario Brothers. Oh, wait... Of course, this all relates to the United States' current situation in the Middle East. Should we go hunting for terrorists? Is the "War on Terror" a good idea and can it ever be successful? Is anybody listening to me? However, when this is brought up in the movie, another excellent question is raised: the idea that you should "not cut your fingernails because they're just going to grow back." Of course, we recognize that as stupid, so we are forced to think, "Well, I guess that means we should kill those Koopas." It's like the movie argues against itself, which, in the end, is really what great movies do: they present both sides of a conundrum and leave you to decide for yourself. This is something at which Spielberg is great at doing, which is really what makes him such a great producer/director/etc. What should you decide? Well, I'll tell you. Don't go looking for trouble. Kill the Koopa Troopas as is necessary, but don't get caught up in feeling you have to kill every Koopa Troopa just because they're there and you can. If one is completely out of your way, leave him be. If he comes to haunt you later, pull the trigger at that time. Live and let live. However, if one's blocking your warp pipe, stomp them. Just make sure you don't send the shell into the pipe only to have it hit you on its way back. Plus, there is the question as to whether the murders that the men are contracted to make are prevention strategies or good old hot-blooded revenge. Of course, you could say that, as the Prime Minister of Israel, or whatever she was, said, you have to show these enemies of peace that you aren't just going to lie back and take it, thereby making them think twice before committing further atrocities. Or, you can say that it's really just the fact that "you killed some of ours; now we're going to kill some of yours." However, if it is revenge that they are going after, there's always, it seems, someone to get revenge for whomever you got revenge on. It's like in Huckleberry Finn, where Huck winds up staying with the Grangerfords, who are at war with another family, the Shepherdsons. It seems the two families have been feuding for so long no one remembers why, but that doesn't stop them from killing one another back and forth. Eventually Huck leaves when the last of the Grangerfords, a young boy named Buck, is killed, leaving no more Grangerfords. Despite all the revenge, no one's a winner. What can we learn from this? The guys in Munich kill people who killed their people, only to be hunted by people who were hired by the people whose people were killed. It winds up making everyone paranoid, and justly so, for you can't go anywhere without wondering when it's your turn. Of course, we can't really say that by going to Iraq we're just asking for some other terrorist group to give revenge for those we kill, as the argument is easily made that if the United States did not strike back, more terrorist attacks would have come anyway. Nonetheless, by showing Osama bin Laden and these other enemies of peace (such as Sadam's Iraq) that the U.S. isn't just going to lie back and take it, we open ourselves to have to take on more and more enemies of peace (such as North Korea, etc.), which we have seen come into question. The movie also takes on the effects that the contracted murders have on the family of the main character (the dude from The Hulk and Hector in Troy, whatever his name is - Eric something, I think). He has to leave his very pregrant wife at the beginning of the movie, then doesn't come back until his daughter is like eight months old. He misses out on the first eight months of her life. This especially hit home with me as my wife is now six months pregnant. This has happened to numerous troops who find themselves in Iraq with families left in America. Then, when Eric Whoever comes home from his "mission," he is left fearing for his family's lives as whatever entity seeks revenge for those he killed. Of course, it is unlikely that many U.S. soldiers will come back home with someone seeking to assassinate them in particular for the life of someone they killed, but nonetheless, it is too early to know what type of Vietnam-like effects the war in Iraq could have on those who fought there. As is demonstrated through the movie, as well as history, wars, and more particularly, life-taking events, have repercussions on those who are involved in them. There are other things that could be discussed regarding this movie, like what is one's duty to his or her nation, or where is the best place to sleep if you are afraid for your life, but I am sure you are quite bored by now and only reading because you can't get up and leave without seeing how it ends. So, until next time... |
