I almost missed my screening of “September 5” last month. A combination of factors caused me to cut it extremely close to getting to the movie theater on time, but in the end, I was seriously thankful I managed to make it to my seat as the pre-movie ads were finishing.
That’s because “September 5” is undoubtedly a must-watch movie.
“September 5” is a historical thriller directed by Tim Fehlbaum that recounts the tragic Munich massacre that occurred at the 1972 Olympics in Germany and has recently been nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the upcoming Oscars 2025. While it’s still technically in theaters for now, it’s also been made available to stream at home on POVD platforms, including Amazon and Apple, as of this week.
If you stumble upon this movie while browsing your preferred streaming service this week, you might be wondering if it’s worth the rental fee (or even purchasing outright), let me make a case for why “September 5” is a seriously gripping thriller that deserves your attention…
What is ‘September 5’ about?
September 5, 1972, a dedicated US broadcasting crew working for ABC Sports are stationed in Munich, covering the ongoing Olympic games.
However, when gunshots ring out, everything rapidly changes. The sports broadcasters suddenly find themselves at the very heart of an active hostage situation as it quickly comes to light that a terrorist group has broken into the apartments housing the Israeli athletes and is holding them at gunpoint.
With the eyes of the entire nation on them and ABC’s traditional news team fighting to take control of the coverage, the crew must pull together as they experience the intense emotions and challenges of reporting on what would eventually become a harrowing global tragedy.
‘September 5’ is a bold and quite brilliant thriller
Based on the setup, “September 5” might sound like your garden-variety thriller. It covers a well-known historical event, one primed for an intense (but sensitively told) recount on the silver screening. However, this movie makes one bold call: The entire movie is set within the newsroom.
We are never shown the outside world. All our glimpses at the events on the ground come via television screens within the dimly lit and cramped rooms that function as the operation center for the ABC Sports broadcasters. Rather than limiting the movie or making viewers feel detached from the proceedings, this bold decision has an incredibly powerful effect as viewers feel just like the journalists in the room, trying to piece together the ongoing events and cut through the noise.
This unique approach to telling this story significantly adds to the overall tension and accurately conveys the sense of controlled chaos found in a media newsroom when a major story is breaking. It’s a masterstroke of a decision to frame the movie this way, and it makes “September 5” one of the most gripping thrillers I’ve seen in at least the last half a decade.
It’s a masterstroke of a decision to frame the movie this way, and it makes “September 5” one of the most gripping thrillers I’ve seen in at least the last half a decade.
The cast is also worthy of a shoutout. While Peter Sarsgaard and John Magaro have enjoyed (deserved) plaudits for their leading roles, my favorite performance comes from Leonie Benesch as Marianne, a German translator. Her interactions with the American staff are fascinating and crackle with geopolitical tension. Plus, her horror at the terrible events occurring coupled with her generational trauma post World War II, add character depth.
Of course, anybody who knows how events played out on September 5, 1972, will know the devastating ending the movie is building toward. I can’t pretend that this movie version concludes on a cheerful note, but there is still a sense of appreciation for the news crew that ensured the coverage could be beamed around the world. But most of all, “September 5” stands as a testament and tribute to the day's innocent victims.
‘September 5’ reviews — critics were also impressed
I’m far from alone in my praise for “September 5.” The movie premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last August and it’s been receiving rave reviews ever since. The movie currently holds a seriously impressive 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Randy Myers of the San Jose Mercury called the movie “a gripping historical account from start to finish,” while Kyle Smith of the Wall Street Journal labeled it “tough, rough, messy and gritty.”
Elizabeth Weitzman of Time Out awarded the movie four stars, and said, “More often than not, September 5 feels like a great 1970s thriller that could only have been made in the 21st century.”
IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio was also impressed with the movie: “‘September 5’ works most powerfully as a behind-closed-doors, single-room thriller, even as what we see on a wall of monitors is almost too unreal to believe.”
It isn’t just critics praising the movie either. “September 5” holds a strong 91% audience score (via Rotten Tomatoes). Recent user reviews praise the flick for its “Great tension throughout” and “period correct” 1970s setting. Another declares it’s “one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while.”
You need to stream ‘September 5’ now
“September 5” is engaging and exciting but also thoughtful and remarkably well constructed. It’s a historical thriller that manages to walk the tightrope between being respectful of the history it chronicles while being extremely gripping from the very beginning to the bitter end.
If you’re looking for dramatic thrillers offering more than cheap shock value, “September 5” is the ideal candidate. The movie’s creative single-location setup is wonderful, the cast is all excellent, and its exploration of the challenges of live media coverage is fascinating and remains relevant even in the 21st century. It’s a historical thriller with a lot going for it.
However, “September 5” isn’t the only new movie available to watch at home this week. Check out my roundup of all the top new movies across the biggest streaming service for plenty of alternative picks, including some with a slightly less heavy subject matter.
More from Tom's Guide
