You've got go in with an open mind.

Rating: 6/10 (21 January 2008)

This film is in no way bad at all. The people who you hear hating on the movie have, more often than not, gone into the movie with one of three things.
1. Extremely high hopes because of the marketing campaign, which is never a smart thing to do with a movie.
2. Expecting an average, common Hollywood style movie. Which is exactly what this is not.
3. A lack of diversity in camera angles. These people have not seen enough Paul Greengrass to be prepared for the shaky camera effect.
This being said, if you go in with having a grasp on the shaky cam effect, with hopes of seeing something entertaining, and you're ready for something different, you'll absolutely love this film.
The film is, obviously, a taped recording of the new york attack, thus the tape starts, and ends. That is all there is to it. Instead of comparing this to an average Hollywood film, compare it to a taped recording of one of your family's Christmas'. When you tape that, either the tape runs out of time abruptly, or you just finish, no plausible end is in sight. Thus when this film ends, it ends abruptly and it works with this style.
This film is one you will enjoy in some way. The only way you won't is if you won't let yourself.