Journalism thrillers have a long history at the Oscars — All the President’s Men and Best Picture-winner Spotlight being among the most influential in the genre. Although September 5 does not reach those heights, it is a consistently entertaining picture with strong crafts and a solid ensemble.
September 5 Review
September 5 follows the ABC Sports broadcasting team as they find themselves in over their heads at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, having to report on a hostage crisis in which a group of Israeli athletes are taken by a group of terrorists. It’s a story that many people know (and has been told in film before) but from a different perspective than we usually see.
This blend of journalism drama and political thriller results in an utterly gripping thriller. Even though the story takes place over the course of an entire day, Tim Fehlbaum does a great job of ramping up the tension and making everything feel like it is happening faster than it actually is. Often, audiences will even feel like they are in the control room with the producers as these events go down.
Much of this success is thanks to strong crafts across the board. Hansjörg Weißbrich’s editing is among the best of the year, giving the movie a frenetic energy that admittedly will keep viewers from thinking too hard about the nuances of what they’re watching. The production design and cinematography are also strong, helping to periodize the film.
However, as well-crafted and intense as the movie is, September 5 is held back by its apparent insistence on taking an apolitical approach to its events. Early on, one character insists that events like these stop being about politics when they jeopardize the lives of innocent civilians. While this attempt at a pacifist message is noble, it’s also an oversimplification of the narrative around this tragedy.
The writers’ avoidance of the contentiousness of the politics underlying its story could be forgiven if it explored its themes around journalistic ethics more deeply. Unfortunately, while the questions the film asks about the media’s complicity in escalating this crisis are interesting (and timely, given how the evolution of technology has caused drastic changes in how information is shared with the world), this conversation is quickly dropped. Like the news cycle itself, September 5 moves on as soon as the next story breaks.
Audiences will also walk away from the movie knowing nothing about the characters. The only character given a backstory is John Magaro’s protagonist, who is dealing with this crisis as his first assignment. Everyone else is essentially an archetype defined by their job. As for the Israeli athletes who are the victims of this attack, it’s frustrating how little development they get, especially considering the argument made in the film about how important it is to give viewers a name and a face with whom they can connect.
That being said, the cast takes these thinly written roles and makes the most of them, mostly thanks to the sharp dialogue. It feels like a true ensemble with no real weak links and no one stealing the spotlight — a rarity these days. Having the beefiest part, Magaro is the most compelling presence. What impresses most about his performance is his ability to capture the character’s almost deliberate control and understanding amidst the chaos of the situation.
The rest of the cast is pretty good, too. Peter Sarsgaard has a classic supporting role, with a few memorable scenes in which he gets loud and angry. Ben Chaplin gives a much more quiet turn, serving as one of the movie’s emotional cores. And Leonie Benesch, who got the international spotlight last year in the Oscar-nominated The Teachers’ Lounge, proves yet again that she has an astounding screen presence.
Is September 5 worth watching?
But ultimately, that is the nature of September 5 as a whole. It has an excellent, engaging presence in the moment that will sweep audiences up for the entirety of its 95-minute runtime. As soon as the credits roll, though, they will realize that what they watched was not important or even particularly impactful. It’s just a well-made popcorn thriller, and that’s okay.
September 5 screened at the 2024 Austin Film Festival, which runs October 24-31. It hits theaters on November 29.
September 5 Austin Film Festival Review — Unprovocative Journalism Thriller Entertains
There’s no denying how well-crafted and intense September 5 is as a popcorn thriller. That said, the film’s insistence on an apolitical approach prevents it from ever reaching greater heights.
