Sword of Gideon

Among film fans, it is not commonly known that Spielberg's famous Munich is a remake of an older television film from the 80s. Michael Anderson's film surprisingly keeps up with its more famous younger sibling, even though the director worked with a significantly lower budget, resulting in his film being far less extravagant. It should be noted that Sword of Gideon is not an artistic reconstruction of a real secret service operation, but rather artistic fiction intertwined with real historical events. The Mossad agent who served as the inspiration for the main protagonist later remarked that he felt no doubt or remorse while carrying out his mission, and even years after the events, he would not change anything about his actions. Naturally, certain motifs are adapted to suit the audience's needs for the spy thriller genre. Anderson's film falls short of Spielberg's in terms of dialogue quality, particularly toward the end where it becomes a bit too focused on paperwork and humanistic ideals. It also falls short in terms of length, as Spielberg did not skimp on the runtime, but Sword of Gideon did not reach its nearly three-hour duration. Regarding the screenplay, some motifs, such as the French mercenary organization, are portrayed more believably in Anderson's film, while others, such as the motive of the female assassin or the portrayal of the team's relationship with headquarters, are better written in the later version. From a technical perspective, such as the directing and acting performances, it is an above-average spectacle. Overall impression: 75%. (20.09.2009)