Before discussing Munich: The Edge of War further, it is no longer a secret in terms of the spectacle, World War II is the most frequently portrayed in war action drama films. From the epic and intense Saving Private Ryan to the traumatic Downfall and Schindler's List, even the Band of Brothers mini-series proves that World War II may be the only war that audiences never seem to get tired of watching.
In fact, the picture of war itself can be said to have never changed. Even if we talk about the context of the World War II casting formula which is poured in various feature films, regardless of the genre. It is also presented in this historical fiction drama film.
One thing that cannot be denied is that through Munich: The Edge of War, audiences are transported back to the days of World War II but this time before the night of the battle. As for what is put forward here, two years before the events outlined in the film The Darkest Hour, which was released in 2017, for those who are interested in knowing it.
At that time Germany was standing on the brink of war. Triggered by the increasing power of Hitler, the Nazi leadership began planning to attack Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic-ed). The British government at that time was led by Neville Chamberlain (Jeremy Irons), who tried very hard to find a peaceful solution in order to prevent Britain from participating in this great war which many people considered unavoidable.
At the center of this conflict are two former classmates – a British civil servant named Hugh Legat (George MacKay) and a German diplomat named Paul von Hartman (Jannis Niewöhner). These two men went to Munich as two opposing camps to carry out talks and find a peaceful way to stop the war before it spread to Europe.
As history has revealed, this story does not have a happy ending and this is the main focus presented in Munich: The Edge of War. This historical film has vivid drama, the political debate is intense but because of the familiarity of this historical period, it makes its presentation predictable.
Munich: The Edge Of War is directed by Christian Schwochow and based on Robert Harris' novel Munich and adapted by Ben Power. Harris uses his creative license to manipulate historical events and the film follows suit. This might spoil history buffs' view of Munich: The Edge Of War, which needs to override historical accuracy.
Strong cast and performances drive this film. Top performers MacKay, Niewöhner, and Irons put on a lively performance during this tense time in history. Unfortunately, Legat MacKay was the most shy in the group and his performance was overshadowed, especially by Niewöhner. Von Hartman is a strong willed character and puts all of his beliefs that Niewöhner puts out to perfection. While the show may push the film, this 'spy thriller' lacks espionage and thrill. The film drags on to a point that doesn't really describe the historical impact of its cast.
The production design is brilliant, the costumes are accurate and there's a downright creepy and understated musical score that quite effectively escalates the scene in this film. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for camera work, where for this genre of film, the camera work feels a bit overwhelming and a little distracting.
Apart from Jeremy Irons personification of Neville Chamberlain and some tense encounter scenes in the final half, there's not much else here that really stands out. But, don't get me wrong, overall this film is interesting to watch, especially for those who like historical drama films, especially those related to the World War II period.
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