DotTheEyes
Movie Fan
...is out on DVD today and I recommend it to everyone here.
Paul Greengrass (director of The Bourne Supremacy) collected the blessings of each and every victim's family members before moving into production on his disturbing and matter-of-fact 9/11-themed docudrama. His film, in essence, tells two stories. The main thread follows forty anxious, desperate airline passengers who, once learning what the terrorists who've captured their plane plan to do, decide to rise as one and put up a final fight. The scenes not set on the plane depict unprepared civilian and government officials as they scramble to comprehend what they're witnessing and react.
Greengrass goes to great lengths to achieve realism. His extensive use of hand-held photography (and close-ups) puts you right in the middle of the terror and gives every scene a fly-on-the-wall appeal. He also decides to cast no A-list stars, perhaps believing recognizable A-listers (Tom Cruise, for example) would lift people out of the experience. Instead, he cast talented unknowns who fill their intense roles well. He also uses quite a few real aviation officials who play themselves and add yet another layer of spectacular authenticity.
Once people get past the question of whether it is too late or too soon for Hollywood to examine 9/11, their next question might be: Should I sit through a film about one of the most depressing and terrifying days in our country's history? My answer is Yes, because I found watching this film to be very cathartic. Yes, I cried during it and was left haunted and disturbed at the end, but it also let me re-examine the emotions I felt on 9/11 and begin to put it all in perspective.
So, yes, I welcome tasteful, well-made films about 9/11, such as this and Oliver Stone's World Trade Center with Nicolas Cage. If they're good films and prove healing, I wish them all the success in the world. And I recommend United 93 to those who feel they're ready to handle it and/or are fascinated by what happened on the morning of September 11th, 2001.
Paul Greengrass (director of The Bourne Supremacy) collected the blessings of each and every victim's family members before moving into production on his disturbing and matter-of-fact 9/11-themed docudrama. His film, in essence, tells two stories. The main thread follows forty anxious, desperate airline passengers who, once learning what the terrorists who've captured their plane plan to do, decide to rise as one and put up a final fight. The scenes not set on the plane depict unprepared civilian and government officials as they scramble to comprehend what they're witnessing and react.
Greengrass goes to great lengths to achieve realism. His extensive use of hand-held photography (and close-ups) puts you right in the middle of the terror and gives every scene a fly-on-the-wall appeal. He also decides to cast no A-list stars, perhaps believing recognizable A-listers (Tom Cruise, for example) would lift people out of the experience. Instead, he cast talented unknowns who fill their intense roles well. He also uses quite a few real aviation officials who play themselves and add yet another layer of spectacular authenticity.
Once people get past the question of whether it is too late or too soon for Hollywood to examine 9/11, their next question might be: Should I sit through a film about one of the most depressing and terrifying days in our country's history? My answer is Yes, because I found watching this film to be very cathartic. Yes, I cried during it and was left haunted and disturbed at the end, but it also let me re-examine the emotions I felt on 9/11 and begin to put it all in perspective.
So, yes, I welcome tasteful, well-made films about 9/11, such as this and Oliver Stone's World Trade Center with Nicolas Cage. If they're good films and prove healing, I wish them all the success in the world. And I recommend United 93 to those who feel they're ready to handle it and/or are fascinated by what happened on the morning of September 11th, 2001.
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