User reviews

The attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics has been told in many ways, but September 5 takes a different perspective: that of the journalists who covered the crisis live. The film throws us into the ABC newsroom, where a team struggles to inform the world while the events unfold with unbearable tension.

The story feels real and intimate because it doesn't need to exaggerate the drama. There are no unnecessary reenactments or cheap emotional tricks. The pressure of the moment is conveyed through intense dialogues, uncertain glances, and the constant feeling that every decision inside that newsroom could change everything. It's a raw look at journalism when immediacy clashes with the responsibility of telling the truth.

The setting is excellent, and the pacing maintains the tension without forcing situations. While some parts may feel slightly stylized for cinematic impact, the film achieves its goal: making us feel the anguish of those who lived that day, not as mere witnesses, but as the ones responsible for informing the world.

September 5 is a gripping documentary, but many analysts believed that the 1972 Munich Olympics attack set a precedent for modern terrorism.

The world watched in real-time as the crisis unfolded, and Black September achieved exactly what they wanted: maximum publicity. This was one of the first instances where a terrorist attack was staged with the global media in mind, creating a model that has since been replicated.

The media's role in amplifying terrorism is complex. On one hand, coverage is necessary to inform the public, expose security failures, and hold governments accountable. On the other, the relentless focus on the perpetrators can sometimes grant them the notoriety they seek. This has led to ongoing ethical debates about how journalists should report on terrorism without unintentionally promoting it.

By revisiting September 5, the film not only honors the victims but also forces viewers to confront the enduring complexities of terrorism, security failures, and international politics that remain relevant today.

'September 5 (2024)' is a thriller which focuses on ABC's unprecedented live coverage of the 1972 summer Olympics hostage crisis. Restricting its viewpoint primarily to the inside of a newsroom lends the picture an insular and immediate effect, capturing the chaos of the moment in a way that often has you on the edge of your seat. Although some of its control room sequences are far too dark for their own good, the feature ultimately crafts a palpably analogue aesthetic and puts you right in the centre of its action. By seamlessly interweaving archive footage with newly shot material, the picture continuously blurs the line between fiction and reality in a way that's often quite unsettling. I didn't know the footage wasn't just recreated until after I'd seen the affair, and the knowledge that it's the real deal certainly makes some of it even more disquieting. Perhaps that raises a question about the ethics of using said footage, even if it doesn't outright show any murders or anything like that, because it's arguable that the picture utilises these images as a shortcut to further its own power. You could take this further and say that the flick therefore exploits the real people involved in a similar way to how ABC potentially did the same thing for the sake of their viewing numbers. That's perhaps a little harsh, but it's difficult to know exactly what the feature is trying to do with its exploration of its true story other than use it to provide a thrilling and chilling experience for its audience, thereby sensationalising a tragedy and doing the same thing it at least partially seeks to interrogate ideologically. It's not like this is a new grey area for films which adapt true stories, and I don't think it totally derails the picture's general success or completely undermines its entire existence, but it's worth mentioning nevertheless.

Thematically, the film aims to examine the media's responsibility when it comes to covering tragedies, especially when doing so threatens to sensationalise the event and potentially give certain parties the platform their violent actions are designed to capture. Although it doesn't go all out in exploring this aspect, it poses interesting questions and presents a number of sequences in which the ethics of those involved are directly questioned (is ABC doing this because their audience deserve to know the truth or because it's good for their ratings?). Further to this, though, the feature aims to be as apparently apolitical as its focal news crew, following its story without specifically commenting on its implications. In one way, it is able to get close to achieving this, as this aspiration mirrors the information available at the time of the events it depicts. However, the film itself takes place well after the period it focuses on, and its decision not to contextualise itself from a retrospective point of view is somewhat problematic given the landscape in which it is realising. Although I think it's a stretch to say this is any sort of propaganda, I can certainly appreciate the fact that it's poorly timed at best and poorly considered at worst. While the series of events this follows did occur in real life and said events were undeniably tragic, there's an argument to be made that this contributes to the media's current positioning of Palestinians as a faceless threat to Israel rather than as people in their own right. Nobody is saying that what occurred in Munich in 1972 wasn't absolutely awful, nor are they saying that the hostage takers were in any way justified in their actions, but they are saying that releasing a picture like this today, when Palestinians are being forced out of their own country not just with unimaginable violence but also with potential forced 'relocation' from the US itself, without doing the work to convey the realities of the longstanding conflict underlying the situation or to separate it from modern history by taking a clear stance on the issue at hand piles on to the supposed evidence some people present when they try to justify Israel's actions in Gaza. I will clarify once more that I don't believe this to be intentional, and it's certainly not as strong a subtext as some reviews on here would suggest, but this is the sort of feature that has to be a bit more delicate in its presentation than simply taking a supposed apolitical stance if it wants to avoid being part of a conversation in which many people are condemning it. It's a case of bad timing, for sure, but the timing of a movie's release is part of how it's going to be received and there's no way of avoiding that.

Despite its controversies, this is ultimately a good movie. Its brisk pace, convincing performances, claustrophobic direction and tense atmosphere make it a really compelling experience. It's also really sad, and is able to affect you emotionally on occasion (especially if you don't already know the particulars of its situation). It's also a great time for anyone who wants to see the realities of analogue television, which somehow seem more impressive than their digital counterparts. You really get a sense of the raw engineering involved with live broadcasting, and details such as how superimposed titles work or how you can jack into phone lines to get them on the air are really tactile and intriguing. As a historical thriller with a purposefully limited point of view, this is really effective. It may struggle to balance its apolitical intentions with its subtextual realities, but it's worth watching if you can separate it from the time in which it was released. As one of its characters says early on: "it's not about politics, it's about emotion." That may not be entirely true (or, indeed, possible), but it's the spirit in which it intends to be taken. It's a solid thriller that's well-made and engaging throughout.

A real thriller from start to end. A lot of suspension and a insight look what went on in the tv studio of abc. A lot of drama of a world wide known event what took place in Munchen.

I liked the classic 1972 vibe, sigars, the know how, the first tv's and ict difficulties in that time. You also get a rewatch of the drama that took place in that olympic village. The 100minutes flew by and I never took my eyes of the screen.

If you like movies or real good documentaires, i strongly advice to watch this. Especially if your into world wide events. A 9 out of 10! Watch ln the big screen!!!!!!!!!...

Performances all believable, comedy in the right places, and a pacing and runtime that doesn't leave you peeking towards the exit before the credits.

For someone who didn't really know the story, the details of what went down truly interested me. They did a solid job of not telegraphing the plot points.

Some may find the lack of change of scenery tiring, but I think it worked in this case. I think they wanted you to feel like the control room is your world, and to feel as they did on this eventful day.

They touched on the political and emotional elements nicely. Making you think, without preaching.

Mixing in footage from the actual event, including broadcast footage as well, definitely draws you more into the experience. A nice touch.

While it's not a movie I really intend on rewatching over and over, it is a very well done piece that I'd recommend to friends who enjoy movies like this.

Making a movie now about the 1972 Munich Olympic terrorist attacks might be considered something of a political hand-grenade since political opinion is clearly divided between those who side with Israel's continuing attacks on Gaza and those who are sympathetic to Palestine.

In "September 5" the 'villains' are clearly the Palestinian terrorists and the horrors of what is currently happening in the Middle East may put many people off seeing this film but then you could also say that "September 5" isn't so much about the hostage taking as it is about the reporting of the situation by ABC and this is definitely the best film about political journalism since "All the President's Men".

Director Tim Fehlbaum films it like a documentary and his remarkable cast respond beautifully. Every performance is pitch-perfect as is Markus Forderer's cinematography, Hansjorg WeiBbrich's editing and Fehlbaum's screenplay co-written with Moritz Binder and Alex David which doesn't feel like a script at all but a piece of actual news reportage and the thrills come not so much from hostage taking as from the dangers involved in simply recording it. The result is terrific cinema that simply shouldn't be missed.

It was my privilege to see this excellent film at the AFI Film Festival. The film takes place in the ABC control room in Munich for the 1972 Olympics. It realistically portrays both the routine aspects of running a control room during an event and then, of course, the tragic occurrence of the Black September attacks on the Israeli athletes. The control room is populated by ABC Sports President Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), fledgling producer Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro), VP of Olympic Coverage Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), and German Interpreter Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch) who are all excellent in their roles. The film also accurately shows how technology that was considered cutting edge back then but looks amusingly primitive today (examples include giant VTR machines, competing for satellite space, manually inserting graphics, etc.). But the key aspect to any thriller is the writing and direction by Tim Fehlbaum who keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire movie. Adding to the realism is the use of archival footage of Jim McKay's reporting of the tragedy. My only minor quibble is the casting of Benjamin Walker as Peter Jennings - he doesn't seem quite right to play the handsome and elegant anchor that I remember (I probably would have cut his character and only relied on the tape of Jennings talking from the Olympic village). But that quibble certainly doesn't stop me from highly recommending this excellent film - it is a must see!

As "September 5" (2024 release; 95 min) opens, we are watching an ABC promo on how it is broadcasting the 1972 Olympic Games "live and in color" from Munich, West Germany, a first in television history. We then go to the ABC studio right next to the Olympic village where they are just finishing coverage of the day at 4 am Munich time (10 pm New York time). Not long after, gunshots are heard... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from Swiss writer-director Tim Fehlbaum ("Tides"). Here he revisits the terrorist attack on the Israeli team at the 1972 Olympic Games, but strictly told from the perspective of the TV broadcasting team (ABC Sports). Multiple issues are raised, such as: should ABC Sports (on site in Munich) take the lead, or ABC News (in New York)? Should they air a potential killing of a hostage be aired live on tv? Etc. The movie plays out almost entirely from the ABC field studio in Munich and hence feels quite restricted (literally), creating even more tension. The cast is terrific, including Peter Sarsgaard as Roone Arledge (as head of ABC Sports). As you are watching this, it almost feels like all of it is happening in real time, but in fact it isn't (these events took place over almost 24 hrs. In real time). Last but not least, the film has a terrific original score, courtesy of Lorenz Dengel (who has collaborated with Tim Fehlbaum before).

"September 5" premiered at the Venice film festival last summer to immediate and broad critical support. The movie started airing in US theaters in December and is now streaming on Paramount+, where I watched it just last night. It picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. It is currently rated 93% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which feels a little too generous to me. Regardless, if you want to revisit the horrible events of September 5, 1972 at the Munich Olympic Games, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

September 5 is a gripping retelling of fact based events that doesn't let up on the tension from the moment it begins to really escalate. It offers an in depth look at the commitment of the newsroom broadcasting the events and all of their decisions with the sometimes destructive consequences of them as they choose the wrong wording and prioritise being the first to get the story out over getting it right, minus the consequences.

The whole cast does a great job of saying all the news jargon with a high intensity but the main 3 stand out further. John Magaro rises to the challenge of covering something he never thought he'd have to whilst feeling the most guilty about what transpires, Peter Sarsgaard is commanding and clearly just as interested in personal gain as he is in documenting the events and Ben Chaplin is the most cautious yet still waves away some errors.

Tim Fehlbaum's direction mostly keeps everything contained in the studio to increase the chaos since all the information comes from outside and adds a layer of disconnection. Markus Förderer's tight and mobile cinematography is unwavering which is then combined with Hansjörg Weißbrich's meticulous editing to move at a high speed throughout and ensures the pacing is as airtight as humanly possible.

I must say I was thoroughly disappointed with this film. Going in I thought this would be an interesting angle to look at these events from but it felt devoid of any real tension and as it turns out, it also just wasn't an overly compelling angle.

Don't get me wrong, this film did have its merits. It had good performances throughout and there were a few moments that were well put together. Watching how the news team adapted to these events was quite interesting, and the setting inside the newsroom reflected the tense and trapped feeling of the hostages.

That being said, I just don't think it was enough to sustain an entire film. I think it needed something more. A different angle or something to give it a bit more bite or a bit more impact. I wanted there to be more urgency in some way.

Still, this is a perfectly capable film and it does have its strengths, particularly the performances and a couple of well put together tense scenes.

I'll keep this review simple because this film deals with a tragic situation that I won't be able to do justice with words. It deserved a Best Picture nomination over "Emilia Pérez," that's for sure, and I don't think I'd mind it winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Going off that, Alex David, Moritz Binder, and Tim Fehlbaum's screenplay are excellent. It creates an intense atmosphere and compelling narrative against the backdrop of the 1972 Munich Olympics, even though the primary focus is on the ABC News team covering the story. Said atmosphere, which is also claustrophobic, almost rarely ceases to intrigue. While I don't think it's as strong as "Anora" or "The Substance," and its other competitors I either haven't seen ("The Brutalist") or don't think will win ("A Real Pain"), the screenplay stands as a remarkable accomplishment.

It helps that all the actors delivered strong performances as their respective characters. John Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard, and Lorine Benesch were especially memorable as Geoffrey Mason, Roone Arledge, and Marianne Gebhardt. I appreciate that the rest of the cast makes their characters equally believable. A film that mainly revolves around dialogue needs the talent to make it work, and I'm happy to say that's where this film succeeds.

Additionally, I was amazed at how the film portrayed the ABC News crew. Aside from a few members, the entire crew focused on covering the story first. I know that it's their job, but something just felt off. It seemed like their primary focus was to be the first to broadcast the events to further advance the station without thinking about the consequences of their actions.

For the last positive, Markus Förderer's cinematography is wildly stellar. Förderer's work contributes to the tense environment while making the film feel like it's one from when it takes place. The film looks like one shot on 35mm, and it's all the better because of it.

However, one thing stopping me from calling it one of 2024's (it was on limited release on December 13) best films is some stretches drag more than I thought. It never ceased to be vital, but I didn't entirely feel the suspense. I expected to be fully immersed and gripped by its story and the horrific events that happened during it, but I wasn't 100% invested. Don't get me wrong, it's still investing and doesn't ruin the film, but I wish I engaged more with the experience.

Overall, I enjoyed "September 5." Some pacing issues aside, it's a unique, mostly enthralling film that, if you're interested in seeing a different perspective on the events of September 5, 1972, it's definitely worth your time.

Technically, the acting, directing, cinematography, and Oscar-nominated screenplay make for an easy 10/10 technical score.

Now for the enjoyment score: despite some pacing issues, it was a great suspense film, making for a 10/10 enjoyment score. It may not be one of the best 10s for 2024 releases because of said stretches, but they're not enough to destroy the remaining eighty minutes of genius storytelling. Be sure to give it a watch!

September 5 will continue to make our eyes widen. By exploring themes such as tragedy, morality, humanity, and consequences. This film depicts a terrible tragedy that occurred in 1972 from the perspective of a sports broadcasting crew. A very well written and intense drama that will keep us opening our eyes and curious about the storyline. The way they build a tense atmosphere is also very solid, it is done slowly at the beginning and the tension will continue to increase as the film progresses. However, personally, the emotions are there, but still seem to be kinda lacking. There is no introduction or depth to the characters, there is quite a lot of character focus too, but the development is quite okay. With a short duration, they were able to control the pacing and tempo of the film very well. The cinematography is good enough, there are many scenes where the camera is a bit shaky, but that actually makes the film feel more crowded and intense. The scoring here also makes the film even more tense. The acting of the actors looks so natural, John Magaro's acting here is quite interesting. Overall, this is an underrated film in 2024.

I worked in sports broadcasting for 30 years, including at the Olympics in Atlanta when a story of a similar nature to this one broke around the bombing in Centennial Park. Even though we'd moved on a few decades since this scenario, there are still similarities that ring true between this representation of what might have happened in the studio gallery of ABC and what happened in 1996. They are off the air and everyone is getting some rest after a long day when news begins to filter through that there have been gunshots. The programme producer Geoff Mason (John Magaro) summons help from his boss Marv (Ben Chaplin) and from his boss Roone (Peter Sarsgaard). With information limited and their access to an interpreter even more so, they recruit the services of the versatile Marianne (Leonie Benesch) and jury-rigging their comms, wheeling an half-ton camera out onto the concourse and fighting internal battles to avoid the all-powerful news division from muscling in on the operation, this team have to live on their nerves and instinct as they try to convey this breaking news to their population watching at home. It's quite interesting that a quick flick around the channels available to them reveal they are the only people broadcasting so they press on doing what their journalistic instincts tell them to - and it has to be said, with great ingenuity as walkie-talkies and hard-wired kit were all that was available and official sources were obviously not obsessed with keeping the media briefed as it transpired that "Black September" had killed one and taken another eleven Israelis hostage. Tim Fehlbaum does well to keep the pace taut here as the day's events unfold, and to give us an illustration of just how tough it was to verify sources whilst trying to stay one step ahead of the competition from people who might not have had the boots on the ground, but who did have ownership of the satellite. One of the reasons that they were the only live broadcaster was that the principal European broadcasters (RAI, France Televisions and the BBC) had already discussed the dangers of the terrorists actually watching the closed-circuit feeds available throughout the Olympic village, and so their sports teams were not broadcasting anything useful. Sadly, that isn't something that dawns on these guys as the penny begins to drop that they are essentially providing the captors with some external coverage of the authority's activities in/around the building. Unfortunately, for me, the sort of biggest, best, first, hyperbole that now follows rather undermined what could have been a really quite compelling look at how live television has to react in fluid situations like this. The dialogue starts to become peppered with disparaging remarks about their hosts' competencies and a certain unpleasant arrogance starts to emanate from this team. Technically, they resort to the radio, in German, rather than co-ordinate with others on site and when the cops finally show up to, admittedly rather heavy-handedly, tell them to get off the air - the emphasis seems to be more about the police with guns invading the control room rather than the irresponsible producers with weapons way more powerful (and useful to to their antagonists) cocking it up. The denouement is also a testament to just how crucial it is to take your time and get your facts straight. - and sometimes even the most plausible sources aren't reliable. In the end, there may be no winners. The anachronism of all of this happening whilst there's some sport going on elsewhere isn't wasted here, nor is the inventiveness of those from a professional sport background who put something to air for which none of them had been trained. The world was, indeed, watching though most of the 900 millions were not watching ABC Sports outside of the USA - just a few in Munich whom we all wish weren't.

Even if you already know what happened at the Olympics in Munich in 1972, you have not seen what happened in this way.

I was in elementary school, but I was watching the Olympics, broadcast live for te first time, with my parents. I remember how dark and sad things became. Later, I studied that day and night trying to understand what exactly happened.

Even knowing the details, I was amazed at the lengths that ABC's news team went to to cover the situation live.

This show grabbed my attention right away and held it until the end.

I was emotionally involved until the very end.

Watch this show!

The acting kept this above a 5/10.

The actual story is a story about how abc acted on the day of the hostage taking, rather than a movie about the hostage taking.

Really it should have been around 45 minutes longer and covered more educational elements around the actual hostage taking, rather than (albeit interesting) showing reel film being developed etc.

As I said at the beginning the acting was fantastic from everyone in this movie, some very underrated actors portraying roles in perfect detail. The cinematics and editing are pretty decent but the last third of the movie happened too fast.

I'm not going to flag this for spoilers, because the only spoilers will be about the hostage crisis events you may already know.

Should you see this movie? Yes. Does paramount know how to market this movie? No

This movie is set around the terrorist attack on the 1972 Olympics, but is really about the ABC sports crew suddenly tasked with providing live reports about the attack.

We see everything from the crew's point of view. Unlike other recent movies (ie Late Night With The Devil) this is not presented as found footage, just a dramatization of events. So the production doesn't resort to shaky-cam but does use "state of the art" technology available at that time.

Most of the action is of the behind the scenes crew, so you don't know the people or their names. Jim McKay is the primary face of the news reports, and viewers old enough to have watched sports in that era will know him. Peter Jennings is on site as the only news entity rather than sports reporter, and he refreshingly comes off as a jerk. Howard Cosell gives a voice-over report, and that's the end of people you'd know. I want to give props to the blending of new and archive video and audio. I assume some archive was used but it's absolutely seamless so I'm not sure (and the credits rolled too quickly).

The crew has many struggles getting the news out. Much of it is with the technology of the time (which will sound boring if I describe it, but it's presented engagingly). But there's also ethical questions news crews may not need to discuss. For example: should they broadcast live video of the attack site when that might lead to broadcasting someone's murder.

The movie covers about a 24 hour period and only tells us what the crew knows. This leaves us with some uncertainties, most notably: was it Black September; and what really happened in the fog of war scene at the airport

This later question is somewhat disturbing as we are left with an impression that, once the terrorists and hostages are away from Olympic village, the German police were, perhaps, less concerned about protecting the hostages. That seems unfair to the Germans of the day.

Before the action starts we get some establishing scenes to meet the characters and see how they report sports. I was surprised to see here admissions of injecting politics into the sports broadcasts--both in fanning cold war rivalries and making hay out of lingering grievances from world War 2.

Once the action got going I was surprised how often I was shifting to the edge of my seat. The film is absolutely riveting. It works as a time capsule. It works as a behind the scenes expose. It works as a story of terrorism. It just works.

It's invariably disappointing when a movie you've been looking forward to seeing doesn't live up to expectations. But such is the case with the latest offering from writer-director Tim Fehlbaum. This re-creation of the day when Black September terrorists took members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage at the 1972 Munich Summer Games, sadly, misses the mark on many fronts. As told from the perspective of the ABC sportscasting crew covering the story, the film comes up short in conveying the sense of urgency and immediacy associated with this human tragedy, which was broadcast live around the globe and is said to have attracted more viewers than Neil Armstrong's 1969 moon landing. While the picture is to be commended for its apparent authenticity and insights at capturing the events and mood inside the broadcast headquarters, much of the narrative nevertheless descends into a talky, overly technical take on what was transpiring around the TV crew, not a particularly effective way of depicting the nature of an event that shook the world and inevitably changed the way on which crisis situations are reported. While I certainly was not looking for sensationalist treatment here, I also wasn't expecting to be bored by its clumsy, underwhelming chronicling of circumstances that had the globe on the edge of its seat. The depiction of this scenario, including the coverage of the particulars of that day, as well as examination of the myriad moral implications involved in their televised presentation, fail to captivate viewers on the same way as the events themselves did. I personally remember this fateful day quite well as one that became indelibly etched into the memory of an impressionable 15-year-old - and one that played a critical role in my eventual decision to pursue an education and career in journalism. Because of that, perhaps I expected too much from this release. Perhaps I had unrealistic hopes that an entertainment vehicle could live up to the compelling journalistic portrayal of an event such as this. Either way, though, that doesn't make up for the disappointment associated with the telling of this story. In a world plagued by as many catastrophes as we experience these days, one could argue that we needn't be reminded of those that are now behind us. But, if we choose to embrace the notion of "never forget" associated with such traumatic incidents, it behooves those behind such painful commemorations to make sure that their impact unmistakenly comes through, something that is definitely not the case with this offering.

I love authentic historic dramas. Especially, in eras in which I have lived. This seems authentic. It's a story of which I am familiar and have seen told in various formats of film through the years.

As stated in the above title, I found this telling most interesting of all.

I saw Spielberg's Munich in the theater years ago and I remember still feeling that it was a bit overlong and bloated. Even boring, I hate to say. And metaphorical to a fault.

This version of the facts is more taut, the run time for this film is shorter, and the clock is ticking in the movie, and the lives at stake.

Also, airtime. You are in the control room of ABC's Wide World of Sports when the tragic terrorist events occur during the Olympics in Germany in 1972.

Cigarettes are smoked. Rotary dial telephones are used for communication.

And there is a major crisis unfolding in the Olympic village.

It's a good history lesson for Gen-Z.

Even appropriate for grade level history in classrooms, middle school and up, I would think but it's rated R, so no.

But history is hardly ever pretty.

John Magaro and Ben Chaplin shine most brightly with their stellar performances.

This is worth a trip to the cinema.

It wouldn't be a terrible idea to bring your high school aged child to the theater with you for this one.

They could stand to learn a little history.

They'll walk out with you afterwards and say, Did that really happen?

Although this provides an interesting "insider" look to this tragic event as it unfolded in the broadcasting studios - I didn't like the movie overall.

First, a lot of the movie had a herky jerky style of filming to give the viewer the impression you "were there". Personally I find this technique extremely annoying.

Also, I noticed the picture wasn't clear, but seemed to have almost a film or dusty lens look- to give an impression of its being from the 70s.

The movie, overall, isn't my favorite, but kudos in trying to depict that fateful time.

This film better have been made on a bare bones budget because 90% of the film was set in the "studio", and essentially no costume changes.

A film that has received ample praise across the board for its tight and taut script, garnering an Academy Award nomination for its screenplay to sit nicely alongside its Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture, September 5 has a lot to like even if it fails to climb to the levels of greatness that lay within its grasp.

Directed and co-written by Tim Fehlbaum who shows great career growth here from his early directional work that didn't exactly make one feel like we were witnessing the birth of a filmmaker to keep a close eye on, September 5 takes a docu-drama approach to tell the story of the collection of ABC broadcasters that found themselves live streaming the horrific terror attack on the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics when a group of Israeli athletes were taken captive in the athletes village.

Working as both a surface level exploration of the terror attack itself and a more warts and all dive into the behind the scenes decision making and pressure that fell to the ABC staff who found themselves delivering a live broadcast that was eventually watched by 900 million people worldwide, September 5 is a prime example of a non-flabby cinematic exercise that does its job within the confines of a 90 minute running time, putting many similar Hollywood experiences of late to shame as it showcases the virtues of tight editing and refined screenwriting.

Sacrificing character depth and in turn human connection/emotion as it narrows in on the task at hand, Fehlbaum remains resolute in his desire to keep September 5 moving, rarely pausing for breath or reflection as his talented if not exactly box-office draw card cast ensure that his most notable feature yet is one that is sure to get him on the "to hire" list of the big Hollywood studios.

Backed by industry veterans Peter Sarsgaard as well travelled overseer Roone Arledge and Ben Chaplin as Marvin Bader, September 5 is jam-packed with recognisable faces and offers the increasingly impressive John Magaro another chance to really shine in the trenches with his turn as Geoffrey Mason the films most standout acting turn, giving the film around him a greater level of intensity and connectivity that ensures many viewers will be more engaged than they would be without him, it's not long until Magaro delivers a turn in a project you sense will attract him too a lot of fame and fortune.

You wouldn't say September 5 ends up being an overly memorable or standout experience as a feature film watch but its a prime example of what can be done in a effective amount of time that never outstays its welcome, harkening back to thrillers of old that prioritised the task at hand rather than diverting into subplot and bloat territory that adds little to the grand scheme of things.

Final Say -

It doesn't rewrite any rulebooks or become a must-see experience but September 5 tells an intriguing story about a key moment in world history, delivering its story in a non-fuss manner that feels like a breath of fresh air in a marketplace that has forgotten the power of a brutal editing process.

3 1/2 grizzled maintenance guys out of 5.

It's wild that this is the through line to present day news. From people experiencing dissonance between reported as fact and the coached, rehearsed for the public, information authorities deem they ought to have. But, at the same time, the real time feed presents immediate problems that are still present. Some information, in order for institutions to do their job without danger, has to be withheld. The problem is, said institutions are invested in their own well being so much, not reporting live, only has disillusioned people of their faith in the institutions. So misinformation becomes normalized and acceptable, so long as it feels and appears to be immediate, as though it is all the context needed. When, of course, it's produced and biased.

And so, technology has evolved rapidly in unexpected ways to continue to feed this loop that is only continuing to spiral.

It's timeless and historical and topical, and it's also why the tv show The Newsroom is absolutely Evergreen.