There are captivating insights that feel real in the film September 5. Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, the actual events highlighted in this movie are compelling.
With a stellar cast including Peter Saarsgard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch, their performances portray a powerhouse of a team that comes together during the Olympics in Munich, Germany in 1972. The era of old-school news technology and various technicalities that pose challenges — the broadcast is at times more surreal than the story itself.
The film features Geoffrey Mason (Magaro) who is assigned to handle the events surrounding the Olympics of 1972. When the terrorist event begins, the job tasks become tedious and detrimental. His superiors are Roone Arledge (Saarsgard) and Marvin Bader (Chaplin). As the terrorist attacks interrupt the broadcast, the decisions regarding what to share with the world and what to broadcast grows critical.
The pros and cons of what is chosen to be televised always poses a risk, so making the right decision is essential. Israeli athletes are being held hostage during the Olympics. How deep does the team have to go to dig into the story? How do they find out the severity of the situation and its accuracy?
The ABC sports crew finds themselves in a tough spot as they must grapple with all that is going on to provide the content for their network. September 5 has a real-life quality to it, which showcases a pattern of brutality in the wake of a news team taking on a story that is bigger and scarier than they had imagined. The assistant and translator is Marianne Gebhardt (Benesch). She speaks German and can translate what is being said. However, the technological limitations of the times create a spark that ignites suspense during this uncertain situation.
Uncertainty is vivid and pervasive throughout September 5 because as the news evolves, there are new objectives that must be continuously considered. Much of that weight falls onto Mason. However, the more major and crucial choices are in the hands of Arledge and Bader.
All of them have mixed feelings about every step they take, and every direction they lead. The news team is already in a state of stress and shock based on the disturbing footage that gradually comes through their channels. When there are hostages, the true events heighten the film’s authenticity.
The film is the most anxiety-producing yet exhilarating news story adaptation I have ever seen. The characterizations and the stressors building the momentum to find the solution of what is proper for the broadcast are done incredibly well.
The setting of solely being in the news station makes the audience feel they are in the era when the story occurs. This was the first story about terrorism to sweep the nation. The direction is spellbinding and successful at portraying a team working together to do their best in very difficult conditions. While they hit many plateaus, there is always a light due to the realism in this film.
Three-and-a-half out of four stars.
