Despite its 1970s setting, September 5 feels like an incredibly topical film in these current political times as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues. That being said – and perhaps to avoid any particular stance and remain safely apolitical on the matter – director (and co writer) Tim Fehlbaum roots the film in a journalistic mentality as he recounts a moment in history that remains tragically timely. 

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Set around the 1972 Munich Olympics, the titular date refers to when members of a Palestinian militant organisation – Black September – took the Israeli Olympic team hostage in a bid to leverage the release of a significant number of Palestinians and non Arab prisoners held in Israel. 

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The ABC Sports crew, on the ground to cover the Olympics, were initially advised to hand their coverage over to the more experienced news reporting team, but broadcasting executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) saw the benefit, both professionally and ethically, in showcasing a non-stop feed to the world. 

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At a tight 94 minutes, September 5 wastes little time in ramping up the tension as the ABC team – which also included Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) and Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin)  - make history as the first network to capture an act of terrorism live on air for the world to see. Of course, such unexplored territory opens up a wealth of conversation over the  morality of it all, and whilst there’s interesting conversations had over their obligation to sensitive audiences and their stance on broadcasting an execution on air (should it take  place), the crew themselves aren’t as fleshed out as they could be, with only the recognisable faces (Sargaard and Magaro, in particular) earning prominent notice; though, Leonie Benesch as German translator Marianne Gebhardt proves a standout, with her character continually pulling focus as, arguably, their most valuable member. 

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The use of archival footage from the day itself is flawlessly intertwined into the film, and  the back end of the narrative is particularly taut, but personal stakes are largely removed, leaving September 5 more surface level thrilling than it should be. It’s electrically edited and it embraces a claustrophobic feel that adds a pressure cooker-like temperament, so by no means is the film underwhelming as a prime example of the genre, it just doesn’t rise above a point of view, which pauses its impact as a story being told at a particularly opportune time.