The definition of the word "powerful".

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2006)

Here is a film that has rustled everyone's hair, and even people who could care less about these "political" films have taken down notes. This is a frightening and powerful portrayal of the events of September 11th, 2001. At that time I was but a wee lad of 9 years old, only 9 days away from being ten. I sat in class about to watch another lovely edition of The Magic School Bus for science class, and the television refused to show it. Our teacher left the room, came back startled, and turned the TV to the news channel. The first and one of the most disturbing things I will ever see was one of the towers, with a gaping hole in the side, smoke billowing upward. I did not understand then, but I do now. Moments like these are the ones in which I miss the innocence of childhood. Where wicked things were unbeknownst to us. Life moves fast, and this is a whopper of a freeze frame.
Acting: 10/10
Each actor gives a heart filled performance, and wisely, no big actors were cast in the film. Big actors would have ruined it, making it a horrible attempt at capturing real people. Oliver Stone really, REALLY, should have taken a note of that.
Writing: 10/10
Though this wasn't exactly "written" per say, it was pieced together well.
Directing: 10/10
Paul Greengrass takes material and treats it with fatherly care. I will forever respect him for his lovingly crafted portrayal of disaster.
Cinematography: 10/10 I gave Greengrass a horrible time for his horrible hand-held camera work in his previous Bourne Supremacy, and now I swear he must have come across my words as he has done much better this time around. Bravo on the improvement, and especially on that ending shot!
Special Effects: As far as my well trained eye could tell, none to be had.
So in the end, this leaved me with the feeling I can only describe as fulfillment. Does it answer any questions? No. None. It documents a horrible day so that hopefully we can look back in respect and learned from these experiences.
Final Diagnosis: A