What Spielberg with his customary know-how appears to be saying is that violence only begets more violence even if those committed to a cause think the violence justified. The key man of action in the screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth is Avner, played convincingly by Eric Bana, tapped to lead the assassination group charged with following the trail of the killers and eliminating them one by one. Avner becomes a non-person who can’t be traced to his source. The ensuing hunt that moves from country to country builds tension and suspense.

Avner gradually suffers emotional fatigue from the assignment and begins to question the policy. He fears for his wife and child, moves them to Brooklyn and resists going back to Israel, a plot ploy likely to meet criticism from some committed Israelis. The Palestinian militants are portrayed as faithful to their cause of liberating what they perceive as their territories. In the end there are in effect no real villains. This attitude doesn’t take into account that the Palestinian extremists in real life have announced their commitment to Israeli’s destruction, and Israel is faced with the need to respond to suicide bombings that kill its civilians.

While Spielberg may not be the most profound political thinker, he does know how to make a movie, although this one might benefit from a bit of trimming. “Munich” is packed with detail and well-cast. Geoffrey Rush is excellent as Avner’s handler, and Michael Lonsdale is quietly colorful as the operator of a gang that provides information to any side that will pay well, a pot thread that underscores international cynicism with regard to killing as well heightens the suspense about how much betrayal and danger there may be.

Others in the cast adding effectively to the total picture include Daniel Graig, Ciaran Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hans Zischler, Aleyet Zurer, Gilda Amagor, and Lynn Cohen in a portrayal of Golda Meir. John Williams provides the score.