A potent reminder of tragedy and the power of the human spirit.

Rating: 9/10 (12 May 2006)

Made less than five years after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, "United 93" is a film that could have failed on a dozen different levels. Perhaps the chronological proximity and the sobriety of the events minimize the artistic license taken, which in turn contributes to the film's realistic power, which is as compelling as any in cinema since "Saving Private Ryan".
"United 93" tastefully concentrates on the titular flight, which was the day's sole hijacked airplane that failed to reach its destructive destination. Equally enlightening are scenes set in a handful of air traffic control centers, ranging from the regional to the national level, and one military outpost. The cumulative effect, which fascinatingly is not explicitly noted until the closing titles, points out how truly heroic the efforts of those on United 93 were, considering how utterly confused those on the ground were. The film also parenthetically comments on the changes in the mindset and security of America in the last half decade, not preaching but rather just noting in retrospect. Much like the bombing of Pearl Harbor, numerous incidents in the film leave the viewer in head-shaking wonder as to how they occurred. One must realize that for the most part the tragedies were not due to incompetence, but the unfathomable concepts behind the nefarious plots. Remembering how different things like air travel were five years ago will make one realize how much innocence was lost on that fateful day and how drastically the world has evolved in the short time since then.
Although British, Director Paul Greengrass proves to be a near perfect choice to helm "United 93", no doubt due to his prior experience with films similar in content ("Bloody Sunday") and style ("The Bourne Supremacy"). "Sunday" was a bleak docudrama about Irish protesters who were killed by British troops, a likewise resonant theme (at least from the Irish perspective). His jittery hand-held camera method, borderline nauseating in "Supremacy", works very well in the more static environment, effectively depicting the confined chaos of the day's events.
The wisest choices made by Greengrass and company are intentional decisions to avoid convention. Virtually no familiar faces or names appear among the cast, and many of the professionals actually play themselves. Even casting character actors with recognizable faces would have degraded the film, as the actors' anonymity contributes heavily to the film's natural and relatable everyman quality. There are few of those overly dramatic shots that can only occur when knowing what happens next. Several shots do linger, but are more poignant than heavy-handed, and would likely be unnoticeable if the viewer didn't know the future.
Being cognizant of the entire story definitely strengthens the emotional impact, uniquely accenting the drama of mundane events rather than plot direction. Leading up the hijacking, all of the flight's events, expressed as normally as possible, serve as an contrasting anticipatory requiem far more heart-wrenching than any such scene bolstered with slow motion or dramatic music. Imagine how differently one would view every little thing knowing it was one's last time to experience such minutia. That is the quiet power of these early scenes.
If there is a misstep, it is simply in trying to cover too much. But such an error could easily have been glaring instead of subtle, and the brisk two-hour running length is refreshingly neither compacted nor strung out. However, bouncing from the intimate setting on the flight to the more impersonal bedlam among controllers produces an occasionally uneven tenor that disrupts the emotional connection. That dissimilitude is also a necessary evil though, as seeing the collage of events is required to contextualize the key individual snapshot.
For those who looking for a gripping and affecting true story that provides rare optimism about the human race, or perhaps for those who are curious to see how our nation has changed so much in so little time, this will likely be one of the best movie experiences of the year. But as well as the "United 93" was made, it is not for everyone. Some people simply will not be comfortable watching these events, whether it be the recent nature of the attacks or the genre itself. Those people are not at fault, as once familiar shots and stories are again shockingly potent. This is not a film that everyone should see, although everyone ought to be reminded of the themes present.
Some will come away dwelling on the failures that took place, but that's not what the film is about. "United 93" cathartically calls attention to what changed that day, how it did so, and the honorable self-sacrificial traits that surfaced in a time of crisis. 9 of 10 for what might be the best film of the year.
Bottom Line: A weighty yet touching social and emotional statement, and recommended viewing before the the onslaught of summer blockbusters.