UNITED 93, a classic!

Rating: 10/10 (1 May 2006)

Much controversy has been with United 93 since it's inception sometime last year. The "too soon" mentality of those who see that films exploiting or depicting those horrible events of September 11, 2001 is here. The second film about 9/11, Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, will be in theaters later on this year. There's no need to go over the plot points of the film. The world already knows it. From the opening scene of the four hijackers reading from the Koran to the descending plane which ultimately crashes, United 93, is a mesmerizing, unforgettable, and heart-wrenching masterpiece. This docudrama was directed by Paul Greengrass, a director who got to know the families of the victims that perished from the plane. He tells us the story with sensitivity, and does the enormous feat of honoring those who fought back realizing that the plane was not going to be "turned around" but was being used as a missile for an American landmark (one of the terrorists taped a picture of the Capitol in the cockpit).
There are no back stories to be told. Everything is told from the morning of September 11th forward. There is no mention of Osama, Iraq or even terrorism. We do know of a few key characters but we know nothing of them. They are all portrayed in the moment, going about their business, waiting at the airport terminal, getting on the plane, making friendly conversations, flight attendants making sure everyone is buckled, pilots having their morning orange juice. Scenes on-board the plane are inter cut with traffic control centers and military command rooms. Amazingly, some of the people actually play themselves. The third act of the film harbors over some of the passengers realizing what's happening as they figure out that the pilots, a flight attendant and a 1st class passenger have been brutally killed. Pieced together from taped recordings from passengers calling their loved ones and one flight attendant getting a hold of a United mechanic, the devastating scenes of the passengers attacking the hijackers are some of the most intense of any film I've ever seen. Some of the passengers, as they call their loved ones will pull at your heart strings. As one woman tearfully ends a conversation with a loved one, she hands her cell phone over to a young woman and says, "Here, call your people". It is all quite emotional.
I must admit, I was an emotional wreck after viewing United 93. Greengrass has created a powerful, gut-wrenching, and courageous movie experience. Like that of The Passion of the Christ and Schindler's List, everyone must see this film at least once. It is a draining experience and extremely difficult to watch. But it's as important as any movie theater experience you'll ever have.