Inspiring!

Rating: 10/10 (20 October 2006)

I have just seen this film as it was only just released here in South Africa. At the same time though I have read many of the comments posted here and I guess at the end of the day how you view and rate this movie depends on the way you look at it. My brother and I ended up having a big argument about the film in that he looked at the movie with the focus being on the terrorism factor whereas my focus was on the actual rescue of the police officers which was what the film was all about. Ever since I watched the events of 9/11 unfold many of the reports were always based on the terrorism side (which yes was a big aspect) but how much focus was given to those that were actually trapped, to the families waiting for news of their loved ones. To me this film made me feel a part of that emotion. Was it the best movie I have seen? Not by a long shot but it was nevertheless inspiring and will definitely be a part of my DVD collection when it is released. I think the whole movie was summed up for me in the final minutes when Nicholas Cage is brought out on the stretcher and passed along by all the rescue workers and the absolute joy by all at having brought someone out alive. No longer will the pictures in my mind of 9/11 be those of the buildings coming crashing down but rather the aerial shot of the hundreds of rescue workers clapping as Nicholas Cage is rescued.