Review: September 5
A New Tense Thriller From Director Tim Fehlbaum
INTRODUCTION
This is a quick review of the newly released film September 5. Keep in mind this is but one of the many movies I watch every year, and that whatever initial grade I come up for this film could change for better or worse with time. To better keep up to date with both my thoughts on other movies and if my feelings on this film changed, follow me on Letterboxd.
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THE PLOT
Via Letterboxd: During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American broadcasting team is thrust from covering sports to reporting a dramatic hostage situation involving Israeli athletes. A young producer, unexpectedly leading the live broadcast, faces difficult decisions as time runs out, rumors spread, and the hostages’ lives hang in the balance.
QUICK REVIEW
Let’s address the elephant in the room - The Hollywood Reporter had the balls to claim that September 5 was the frontrunner for Best Picture at next year’s Oscars. Do I think it will win? Hell no. Do I even see it getting nominated? Honestly, that feels unlikely at this point. But did I still enjoy the film? Well, that’s exactly what this review will unpack.
September 5 effectively captures the tension, drama, and real-life events surrounding the 1972 Munich Olympics in a way that immerses viewers in the chaos of the ABC control room as the tragedy unfolded. The interplay between network executives, the control room staff, and government officials deciding how to cover such a horrific event is gripping and fascinating to watch.
The film’s editing shines, keeping the pacing tight and enhancing the atmosphere of urgency and unease. This is further bolstered by strong performances from Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, and Ben Chaplin, among others. Additionally, the production design nails the seventies aesthetic, transporting audiences back to the era of vintage network television coverage.
However, the film stumbles in fully capitalizing on its potential. With its brisk runtime and chamber-piece focus, September 5 feels slightly incomplete. It captures the moment-to-moment tension of the control room exceptionally well but leaves broader questions about the journalistic ethics and political ramifications of the attack underexplored. These omissions keep the film from transcending into top-tier cinematic territory for me.
While the step-by-step depiction of the control room dynamics is compelling and engaging, the film plays it safe, sticking closely to the facts without diving deeper into the more provocative elements of the story. Expanding its scope with a longer runtime, a slightly larger cast, and more nuanced exploration of the surrounding events could have elevated it to something truly special.
That said, September 5 is a solid journalism movie, and I think older audiences, in particular, will resonate with its meticulous depiction of this historical moment. It’s well-executed and engaging, but it falls just short of greatness due to its reluctance to take bigger risks. I give September 5 a solid initial grade of B+.
INITIAL GRADING
