Steven Spielberg's Munich - inspired by a terrorist attack during the 1972 Olympics - is a strange mix.
Based on the book Vengeance by George Jonas, it's both an effective action thriller and a mediocre, philosophical piece on the ethics of revenge.
The film's opening sequence reaffirms Spielberg's status as Hollywood's leading storyteller. He mixes narrative with news footage and portrays the kidnapping of the Israeli Olympic team in a breakneck speed.
Then the fictional part of the movie begins. A small team of five undercover Israeli agents, headed by the sensitive Avner (Eric Bana, below) - whose pregnant wife is about to give birth - is assigned to seek revenge on 11 Palestinians who are said to be member of the Palestine Black September terrorist group that is responsible for the attack.
The team moves around Europe, tracking down suspects and either gunning them down or blowing them up.
The Hitchcock-flavoured action sequences are thrilling. An expert in maintaining suspense through clever editing and dazzling camerawork, Spielberg keeps the audience glued to the screen by conjuring up scene after scene of revenge murders rife with twists and turns.