If this doesn't win best picture, they should stop giving the award

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2006)

Let me start by saying that while I often enjoy Oliver Stone movies, I could not disagree with him more when it comes to politics. When I first heard about this movie, I feared Stone would concentrate on conspiracy theories as he did in JFK or take the film as an opportunity to show that terrorists are people too as Spielberg did in Munich. Now I am glad to report that this movie was as apolitical as can be. The whole movie is shown from the perspective of the victims as they experienced it, with Stone embracing none of the benefits of hindsight. The movie simply follows the characters through that day as the horror and wonder unfold before them. As a result, this film, particularly in its first 20 minutes, is a true deja vu experience, and is sure to make every viewer relive that day in his own mind. The film primarily follows a few first responders as they move through that day, and all one can think of while watching it is how heroic these men are, how difficult it must have been to stare that horror in the face and choose to walk right into it when everyone else was running away. This movie should be considered required viewing of the caliber of Schindler's List.