A story set against the Mountain Meadows Massacre, the film is based upon the tragedy which occurred in Utah in 1857. A group of settlers, traveling on wagons, was murdered by the native Mormons. All together, about 140 souls of men, women and children, were taken.
Religious and thematic issues aside, September Dawn is well-crafted as a revisionist Western with a message.
– Ted Fry,
Seattle Times,
24 Aug 2007
rotten:
With its complete lack of empathy for early Mormons and simplistic rendering of historical figures, September Dawn is that rare movie that actually deserves whatever condemnation might come from religious groups.
– Steven Hyden,
AV Club,
27 Aug 2007
rotten:
A plodding and highly questionable history lesson.
– Owen Gleiberman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Aug 2007
rotten:
The workmanlike craftsmanship of Cain's filmmaking almost (but never quite) smooths over the ham-fisted way he conceives the story.
– Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Aug 2007
rotten:
The villainous turns by Jon Voight (as a hard-hearted Mormon bishop) and Terence Stamp (as a bloodthirsty Brigham Young) would have been more fun if they weren't part of such a clumsy campaign to lay this tragedy at the church's doorstep.