September Tapes
Palisades Pictures | Release Date: September 24, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
32
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
0
Mixed:
7
Negative:
6
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
VarietyLisa Nesselson
Gritty, engaging. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
The movie's heart is in the right place, but it looks and sounds regrettably bogus. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
The results are often exciting and, except for occa­sional overacting by Calil, feels authentic. But the whole notion of exploiting a war and its victims to shoot a commercial feature is reprehensible. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
The film eventually collapses under the weight of its no-budget arrogance, but it goes some interesting places beforehand. Read full review
40
Film ThreatPete Vonder Haar
Boasts some of the best filming seen in today’s so-called “dramatic documentaries,” but an unrefined script and frankly unbelievable ending keep it from becoming something better. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
In light of the recent plight of real New York City-based filmmaker Micah Garen, who was kidnapped and nearly executed while attempting to make a genuine documentary in Iraq, the whole endeavor seems simply foolish. Read full review
40
The Hollywood ReporterSheri Linden
Actual footage of Afghanistan makes it an interesting experiment, but as a dramatic thriller, the story of an American documaker is not as taut or compelling as it could be; instead, it's often confusing and irritating. Read full review
30
Village VoiceLaura Sinagra
The film outs itself as a shallow indie "Rambo." Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
Intentionally blurs fiction and reality. Read full review
30
The New York TimesAnita Gates
Maybe Mr. Johnston, who has directed television commercials and music videos, intended this to be a guessing game. But the method robs the real encounters of their power and, even more important, trivializes the subject. Read full review
30
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
The visceral thrills do not make up for the ultimate banality of the movie. Read full review
20
Dallas ObserverRobert Wilonsky
September Tapes, with its torturously high-minded narration and ludicrously low-road shenanigans, uses the terror attacks of 2001 as the setup for an infuriating gotcha finale. Read full review
0
San Francisco ChronicleJonathan Curiel
The most disingenuous film of the year. A sham. Pathetic. Embarrassing. The people behind this movie, which was made in Afghanistan, should be ashamed of themselves. Read full review
More From This Movie

32 Critic Reviews

5.5 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL