The 1972 Olympic hostage crisis, as seen from the perspective of the ABC Sports crew who reported it live from Munich. Learning on the fly, they were the first to broadcast an incident of this kind live around the world.
This is one of those stories that not only explores a major historical event, it exposes the viewer to a mostly unseen viewpoint, and does it very well. Over the course of a fairly brisk 90 minutes, writer/director Tim Fehlbaum, along with writers Moritz Binder and Alex David drop us into the world of live TV, circa 1972. Thanks in no small part to some clever use of real footage, September 5 is both an eye-opening look at what it takes to produce a live broadcast, and a weird way to view such a horrible event. The cramped quarters of the ABC offices in the Olympic park feel very detached from the terrible tragedy that was unfolding just down the road. The trouble is, that taut 90 minute runtime may add a degree of intensity, but it can also give you the idea that the hostage crisis came to an end a lot faster than it actually did, because before you know it the movie itself is at an end.
By making you feel like you're in the control room with the crew, the movie exposes you to the intensity and high speed nature of covering a major incident, while celebrating the ingenuity and hard work this crew demonstrated in making it happen. They were limited by the technology of the time, and watching them work both with and around it can be fascinating. There is a genuine sense of excitement to the what they're doing. After all, they're reporters and this was likely the biggest story of their careers. But the movie makes that intoxicating feeling that comes with reporting such a big story almost palpable, leaving us at the very least with an understanding of why journalists do what they do.
That said, the movie isn't just a celebration of TV journalism. In fact, through some brilliant performances it goes along way to show the mixed emotions and the conflict felt by the crew over what they were doing, as well as the much wider impact of the hostage crisis itself. September 5 raises some interesting questions about ethics, and how far journalists should go - or at least be allowed to go - in reporting a story. Especially when what they're doing could jeopardise an ongoing operation and potentially put lives in danger. Unfortunately, the very nature of the story prevents any real exploration of this issue, but Fehlbaum and his team have certainly opened the actions of the reporters in this case up to debate, and they haven't shied away from the fact that ABC's coverage at times likely aided the hostage takers.
An intense and fascinating drama that offers a unique perspective on a major historical event.
8.5/10
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