**A Missed Chance: *September 5* Doesn’t Live Up to Its Potential**
Swiss filmmaker Tim Fehlbaum’s *September 5* comes at a significant moment, considering the current unrest in the Middle East, yet the film ultimately misses the mark in several ways. Aiming to depict the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage situation through the viewpoint of ABC’s newsroom, the movie struggles to offer substantive commentary on the historical events or the ethics surrounding live television journalism. Narrowly focused and lacking depth, *September 5* represents a missed chance to delve into the larger ramifications of one of modern history’s most distressing events.
### A Limited Perspective That Falls Short
The movie nearly exclusively centers on the ongoing developments within ABC’s temporary newsroom, a decision that constrains its viewpoint. While this narrative angle presents a distinctive take on the technical hurdles of live broadcasting, it neglects to address the emotional and political intricacies of the hostage crisis itself. Consequently, the film emerges as dispassionate and incomplete, providing minimal retrospective insight or on-the-spot urgency.
Rather than being an engaging thriller or a reflective drama, *September 5* devolves into a mechanical recounting of biopic tropes. It emphasizes the logistics of “who” and “what,” while bypassing the more layered “how” and “why.” Even within the confines it has set for itself, the film has trouble generating gripping drama, seldom delving into the emotional or moral gravity of its characters’ choices. One character states, “It’s not about details, it’s about EMOTIONS,” yet the film fails to act on this guidance.
### Commendable Performances, Unsatisfactory Resolution
*September 5* features John Magaro as Geoffrey Mason, a young producer responsible for making immediate editorial choices, and Peter Sarsgaard as Roone Arledge, a clever executive eager to push boundaries for the story to air. Ben Chaplin portrays Marvin Bader, a broadcasting supervisor who serves as the film’s moral anchor, frequently articulating the ethical dilemmas that the screenplay overlooks. While the cast gives impactful performances, the film does not allow them the space to fully flesh out their characters or confront the implications of their decisions.
The inter-office dynamics, which could have offered a compelling reflection on the larger ethical dilemmas surrounding live journalism, are instead simplified to superficial conflicts. Instances of introspection or ethical confrontation are fleeting, quickly set aside for the next narrative development. This failure to follow through leaves viewers with little to contemplate, even as the film hints at more profound inquiries about media’s influence on public opinion.
### The Politics of *September 5*: An Underwhelming Effort
One of the film’s most pronounced deficiencies is its lack of meaningful engagement with the political backdrop of the events it portrays. The 1972 Munich incident, where eight members of the Palestinian faction Black September held Israeli athletes hostage, was a pivotal moment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet, the film predominantly bypasses this background, offering only cursory references to the intricacies of the situation.
For example, TV journalist Peter Jennings (played by Benjamin Walker) briefly mentions the potential to use terms like “guerillas” or “commandos” instead of “terrorists,” alluding to the charged and racialized nature of such language. However, this potentially significant dialogue is soon abandoned, and the film ultimately adopts the very framing it had initially questioned. By neglecting to critically assess the language and portrayal of the crisis, *September 5* squanders a chance to provoke the audience’s thoughts or provide a more layered viewpoint.
The film’s hesitance to confront the wider geopolitical consequences of the hostage situation is particularly striking in light of contemporary events, like Israel’s military actions in Gaza. While no film is required to deliver an exhaustive political critique, *September 5* positions itself as a piece of journalistic reflection, only to fall short of even a fundamental standard for critical thought.
### Aesthetic and Narrative Missteps
Technically, *September 5* boasts moments of brilliance, especially in its initial scenes. The film opens with a tightly crafted sequence of a swimming event, illustrating the intensity and skill of live broadcasting. However, this early promise quickly diminishes as the film fails to sustain a consistent sense of urgency or clarity.
One significant drawback is its clumsy treatment of time. The hostage crisis spans 20 hours, but the film’s editing complicates the tracking of time or the progression of events. Transitions between scenes often feel jarring and confounding, leaving the audience unclear on elapsed time or the development of the crisis.
The choice to limit the film’s scope primarily to the newsroom further complicates this issue. By confining its viewpoint to ABC