Suspenseful Supposition

Rating: 7/10 (24 August 2006)

A rather suspenseful film, United 93 does a rather admirable job of dramatizing (note the word 'dramatize' here) the events surrounding the terrorist attacks of September 11, especially that of United Airlines Flight 93, the aircraft which crashed just outside of Pittsburgh.
From the very early scenes, the film seems to have a suspenseful, haughty atmosphere to it. It's as if the director acknowledges that nothing can be done about the fate of the aircraft, as the audience already knows what's going to happen. As the film moves along, the trepidation increases to a new high as the aircraft taxis to it's designated runway and prepares for take-off. It's like that feeling of dread, an "Oh no!" moment where you wish you could go back and stop a certain past event from recurring, even though you know that there's nothing you can do about it.
The scenes from NORAD, the FAA and the Air Traffic Controllers tracking the hijacked planes are shot and acted admirably, heightening the suspense and feeling of helplessness and frustration that many people on the ground must have been feeling that day. The nameless actors also adds to a feeling of anonymity amongst the passengers, they're people you don't recognize, faces amongst the crowd. It this sense of ambiguity that raises the audiences pity and despair toward United 93's passengers, and your admiration for their sheer determination and resolve despite the circumstances and despite the fate that we all know awaits them.
There are a number of technical and factual flaws that this film seems to either distort or simply ignore, a possible result of dramatization, heightening of suspense or a move to 'lessen the blow' of the film's's unresolved climax. To call this film a 'documentary' would be a rather presumptuous gesture. Even 'docudrama' would be an exaggerated claim, as the film does not fit either of these categories.
Whatever the reasons behind the factual errors, United 93 remains what it intends to be - a harrowing, suspenseful and ultimately moving dramatization of the events which unfolded on that fateful day.