When does the Critical Incident documentary release on HBO Max? Details analyzed

The HBO Original documentary Critical Incident arrives at a moment when public scrutiny of border enforcement, accountability, and institutional transparency remains intense. Directed by Rick Rowley, the documentary revisits the 2010 death of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, a case that continues to resonate far beyond the United States–Mexico border.

Rather than treating the incident as a closed chapter, it reframes it as an unresolved human rights issue with lasting consequences.

The documentary follows journalists, attorneys, and family members as they trace how Hernández-Rojas’ death was handled, and, in many ways, mishandled, by the United States authorities.

The emergence of eyewitness video footage transformed what might have remained an internal report into a far-reaching investigation.

By combining investigative reporting with firsthand testimony, Critical Incident positions itself as both a documentary record and a challenge to institutional silence.

Release details for Critical Incident

The true crime documentary, officially titled Critical Incident: Death at the Border, debuts on December 29, 2025, at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET on HBO.

The documentary will also be available to stream the same day on HBO Max after it airs on the channel, giving viewers multiple ways to watch.

For audiences planning to stream the true crime documentary, they will require a subscription to the streaming platform. HBO Max recently increased prices across all tiers.

The ad-supported plan now costs $10.99 per month, while the Standard plan has risen to $18.49. Additionally, The Premium tier now sits at $22.99 per month. New rates have been applicable since mid-October, 2025.

Everything we know about the documentary

At its core, Critical Incident reconstructs the events surrounding Hernández-Rojas’ detention and death through layered reporting rather than narration alone. The documentary tracks how footage showcasing Hernández-Rojas’ torture and plea for help, forced a deeper examination of Border Patrol conduct that official accounts had minimized.

The synopsis, as per the official press release, reads:

“When eye-witness video emerges, it sparks a far-reaching investigation from a border checkpoint to Washington D.C. CRITICAL INCIDENT chronicles journalists’, lawyers’, and family members’ efforts to explore the Border Patrol’s involvement in the incident, ultimately pointing to cover-ups, and uncovering the existence of a little-known unit inside the agency that had been involved in other border related incidents. In 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection disbanded the Critical Incident Teams, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held a hearing on the Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas case, ultimately calling for the reopening of the case and recognizing that Hernandez-Rojas’ human rights had been violated during his arrest.”

Rick Rowley follows journalist John Carlos Frey as he investigates how the case was handled internally by the United States Customs and Border Protection. What emerges is not just a single incident, but a pattern of institutional response.

The documentary reveals the role of Border Patrol “Critical Incident Teams”, internal units tasked with managing investigations involving their own agency.

According to the film, these teams were repeatedly present in controversial cases, shaping narratives before outside investigators could intervene.

The film also charts the slow movement of the case through legal channels. Even though the FBI investigated the cast, no agents involved were punished by the Department of Justice.

The case ultimately reached the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights many years later. After going through the chilling details and proof, the Commission ruled that Hernández-Rojas’ human rights had been violated and called for the reopening of the case.

By weaving together all the evidence and testimonies from various individuals, the documentary avoids dramatization. 

Critical Incident will premiere on December 29, 2025, exclusively on HBO and HBO Max.