October 8 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

October 8 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker July 14, 2025

Directed by Wendy Sachs, the documentary 'October 8' arrives on Blu-ray disc courtesy of Universal. The film examines the wave of antisemitism that enveloped college campuses, invaded social media, and appeared on American streets following the October 7th, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas. 'October 8' examines the impact of that day and its aftermath on the lives of people both in Israel in the US, putting a human face on the events. The release does not come with a slipcover or a DVD, but a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere is also included.

The documentary opens with a graphic to ground the viewer in its world. It reads: "October 7, 2023 - 6:29 AM - Israel". Accompanying the stark white letters on a plain black field are the sounds of an air raid siren, terrified screams, and sounds of gunfire and explosions. Video captured by the phones of those who where there is cut in, cycling through a series of scenes that relay the destruction, carnage and terror from locations around Israel on that day. Voices of various news commentators add context to the violence the viewer sees, attempting to better define the chaos. While the video from these sources is neither pristine nor expertly shot, it's powerful, real, and raw. Before the day would end, nearly two dozen locations in Israel would be targeted, more than 1200 people would be killed, and more than 250 would be kidnapped, in what would be the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

To help the viewer better understand the events and what followed, the documentary elects to follow a number of people who were personally impacted. Irit Lahav is the first person we meet, as she sits in front of a bombed-out structure, sharing how she and her daughter ran to the saferoom in their home as shots were heard next door. As this was happening in Israel, it's night in New York City, and Shai Davidai, an Assistant Professor at Columbia University, receives a horrifying message from sister-in-law about Hamas missiles being fired at Israel. Simultaneously, author Noa Tishby receives a shocking call from her sister in Israel telling of the attack over the sound of sirens and explosions, prompting her to jump online and start spreading the news. The film also follows Noa Fay, a student as Barnard College and Columbia University, and Tessa Veksler, a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, as they discuss what they observed on campus and the antisemitic behavior, threats, and intimidation to which they were specifically subjected.

Much of what is shown and heard in October 8 is as difficult to hear as it is heartbreaking. That the film inserts footage taken by Hamas and recovered by the Israel Defense Forces only adds to the tension. October 8 also spends time examining the roots antisemitism in America and on college campuses in particular, pointing to evidence that the funding for one of the largest organizations behind the pro-Palestinian protests, the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), can be traced back to Hamas with a larger strategy reaching back decades.

It's a powerful and compelling film. The stories are visceral and moving. Actors Debra Messing and Michael Rappaport appear, sharing their shock, horror, and dismay at what took place on and after October 7. They describe their disappointment bordering on outrage that more people in Hollywood, who have added their support and attention to any number of causes both large and small around the world, have remained deafeningly silent on the issue of antisemitism and these events. If there is one legitimate criticism to be leveled at October 8 it's that the film presents but one side and a limited timeline to a conflict that goes back decades. Be that as it may, it does nothing to diminish documentary's impact or message.

October 8 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

October 8 is outfitted with a strong 1080p presentation. The image is generally clean and free from defect or anomaly, save for the moments culled from either vintage footage from as far back as World War II or that which is recorded more recently on smart phones. In these instances there is an understandable graininess, a decrease in sharpness, and color saturation can suffer. However, as the bulk of the "talking head" footage is recently shot and much of it is done in controlled locations such as studios and the like, the film generally looks rather pleasing. Skin tones are accurate and healthy across the board, and detail is very high. Fine lines and wrinkles are easily visible on the faces of those speaking, as are flyaway hairs and make-up specifics. Colors a realistically saturated with whites that approach brilliance and blacks that are sufficiently deep. Environmental details are also easily discernable, with the ruined home behind Irit Lahav giving viewers a chance to clearly examine the rubble.

October 8 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As a documentary, October 8's 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track isn't tasked with much arduous work, but it performs what's asked of it quite admirably. The vast majority of what it needs to handle are the normal speaking voices of the people whose lives are followed in the wake of the events of October 7th. It does that very well. Dialogue is front and center-focused and free from distortion or defect. The words of the person speaking always sit perfectly on top of any music or clips playing underneath them. Music is likewise rendered with excellent fidelity and clarity. The real-world sounds of violence and shouting are also reproduced well, helping the viewer understand and feel some of the fear experienced by those who lived through those events. To ensure nothing is misunderstood, chants from crowds of protesters are often supported by subtitles.

October 8 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

October 8 does not have any on-disc supplemental material.

October 8 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While it doesn't go into detail about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine that substantially predates the the film's October 7, 2023, starting point, Wendy Sachs' October 8 succeeds in clearly defining and documenting that day and the wave of antisemitism that engulfed the United States in the wake of the Hamas attack. Those featured put a much-needed and appreciated human face on the shock and fear of not only the moment, but the days, weeks, and months that followed as well. Those looking to understand more about those tragic events and start an investigation of the the broader issue in general, will find October 8 powerful and informative. Recommended.