September 5

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 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.

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.

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.

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.