Gruesome, thought-provoking, and most importantly, evokes admiration for true American heroes

Rating: 10/10 (26 May 2007)

I can't help but feel ashamed that for quite a while, I wouldn't see this movie. Not because it's horrific, mind you, but because of the fact that I once foolishly assumed that this was exploitative film-making, that not only would it fail to honor the heroes in United 93, but also that it would cheapen the significance of one out of four awful incidents of that tragic day. I absolutely loved the way "25th Hour" from Spike Lee handled the 9/11 subject matter: as a background and parallel to the characters' lives. I couldn't imagine watching something that directly dealt with it. I can't say how deeply upset "United 93" made me, and yet how proud I am that someone sitting next to me on the subway potentially could have that kind of courage to deal with unimaginable circumstances, I certainly am unsure as to how I would handle something like that. Despite that I knew what the outcome would be, I never stopped rooting for the terrific ensemble cast, and even within the last few minutes, the film provoked a feeling that somehow and some way, the passengers would survive. I remember that when it happened, I was in a college dorm watching the WTC footage live on the television. As gut- wrenching as I felt back then, the scenes that took place at the various control centers made me realize how lucky I was to have the comfort of friends around me as opposed to having to directly deal with the situation. The light small talk that the passengers were having before and after lift-off is very human and very scary: that something very ordinary as talking about your grandchildren with someone sitting next to you could happen within the same few minutes that a hijack would occur. On a side note, I'm still very wary of watching "World Trade Center" from Oliver Stone, as I find that his style is "more is more", and that he has all the moving parts of a Hollywood Blockbuster that overall lacks humanity. However, I was wrong about this exceptional film, and so it's possible that I may be jumping the gun again. Now though, I at least feel I owe it a viewing to make up my mind.