2. Avner Kaufman - Munich (2005)
UniversalIn 2005 Steven Spielberg released two very different films, which represent the two opposing aspects of his career. One was his take on War of the Worlds, which used its blockbuster spectacle and gloomy visuals to make a well-developed point about the aftermath of 9/11. The other was Munich, an historical drama which was so obsessed with being balanced that it got bogged down dramatically. But while Munich is the weaker film, it does have one big saving grace: Bana's performance. Munich takes place in the aftermath of the 1972 Olympics, at which 11 Israeli athletes were kidnapped and eventually murdered by the Palestinian terror group Black September. After news breaks of the athletes' death, Mossad (the Israeli secret service) begins Operation Wrath of God, sending in German-Jewish agent and assassin Avner Kaufman (Bana) to hunt down and kill all individuals believed to have been involved in the massacre. During the mission Avner questions the morality of what he is doing, eventually becoming disillusioned about both the mission and his superiors. While Munich is presented with the very best intentions, it's far too preoccupied with not taking a side to really dive deep into its subject matter. It's a very safe, mediocre thriller, albeit one with good production values and a good leading role for Bana. He makes the best of an occasionally trite script, and convincingly portrays a man whose clinical commitment to his country is gradually broken down by his own personal circumstances. While the film as a whole is a bit of a slog, it's worth it for every second that Bana is on screen, with the phone call to his baby daughter being a highlight.