Tense but factually bankrupt

Rating: 3/10 (19 June 2006)

All due credit must be given to director Paul Greengrass for a tense and gripping thriller that keeps the viewer on edge throughout the course of the movie. Sadly though there is very little factual merit to this story.
Firstly one must bear in mind that the whole dramatization of the evens unfolding within the cabin are based entirely upon many highly questionable cell phone and air-phone calls. The cell phone calls alone have already been scientifically proved to have been almost impossible from an aircraft moving at that speed, not to mention it's altitude. Although there isn't sufficient space for an in depth analysis, here are two very well written articles which may be of interest:
http://physics911.net/projectachilles.htm
http://physics911.net/cellphoneflight93.htm
Most interesting is Mark Brigham's air-phone call to his mother which began - "Mom? This is Mark Brigham." OK seriously when was the last time anyone used their full name when calling their mother? Also, Todd Beamer who's call appeared to have lasted the longest, would rather speak to the Verizon operator than have her connect him to his wife. This is something she could have done in a matter of seconds.
Most disturbingly was the portrayal of a German passenger aboard the plane, who's name appeared on the passenger manifest, yet other than that nothing more is known of him. However the director has decided to portray this poor man in a rather negative light, simply for being a pacifist and wanting to try to negotiate with the hijackers. Could this be a deliberate metaphor for the increasing political divide between Europe and America? As an American it seems to me that from a very early age we're brainwashed into believing that military might is a positive asset, while pacifism is simply for the weak. In reality it is quite the opposite!
Finally with regards to a post-script appearing prior to the end credits stating that the President did not scramble aircraft because he did not wish the plane to be shot down is again nonsense. Anyone who remembers where they were that tragic day will also remember where George Bush was - or more to the point wasn't. Apart from a brief statement that morning it wasn't until later that evening that any of us heard a single peep out of him. The responsibility for scrambling aircraft sat with Vice President Dick Cheney.
Contrary to popular belief the scrambling of military aircraft does not invoke shooting down the airliner as a foregone conclusion - in fact that is an extreme last resort. It has always been a common practice to scramble a military escort to any hijacked airliner in order to get it safely on the ground. Cheney flat out refused to do this.
I will leave the readers to draw their own conclusions, but i do urge all of you to look at the facts.