I can clearly say, 'United We Stand'- that 2006's 'United 93' was indeed the better movie about 9/11 than this movie. Yet, this film isn't half bad. It was just alright.

Rating: 6/10 (11 September 2017)

Oliver Stone's 2006 film, 'World Trade Center' follows the close biographical survival story of two Port Authority policemen, John McLouglin (Nicholas Cage) & William Jimeno (Michael Pena), whom became trapped under the rumble of the once-World Trade Center, after the skyscraper collapse, during the events of the 9/11 Terrorist Attack on New York City. Without spoiling the movie, too much, although, it's been 5 years since the tragic event, when this movie was made. I still think, films like this, were greenlight, a little too soon. After all, there was still an empty lot in Ground Zero, where WTC once stood; haven't yet, been replace by One World Trade Center that open in 2014. Another thing, although, producers of the film met with all relevant September 11 victims groups before production began to inform them of the intention of the film. New York City absolutely prohibited any filmmaking of any kind about Sept. 11 in the Big Apple besides the New York Port Authority Building, not wanting any recreation of destruction or chaos to be display for the public. The filmmakers were not even allowed to film actors looking upward toward where the towers would be. Instead, those shots were created in sound stages in Los Angeles, using limited CGI or badly intercut, archive stock footage. Hints, why some of the buildings that they use as a city background look a little too small in height, and far apart for an ideal depiction of NYC. Sadly, even some real-life characters had to be fictional, due to family members, not wanting their demise love-ones names, to be portray in a bad light. It really hurts, historic accuracy and somewhat confused others, such was the circumstance of supporting characters, like Marine Sgt. Dave Karnes (Michael Shannon) whom some viewers saw as fiction. In this case, he was really real, much like the other Marine Sgt. Jason Thomas (William Mapother), whom happens to be African-American, in real-life. Meanwhile, there were also plenty of examples of characters deaths, being omitted due to demands of love-ones, not wanting it; which in return, make the portrayal of some characters, unfinished. It even made some characters seem like they took their own life. Its warning sides like this that shows, that the wounds of that day, have not yet healed in NYC. Already, the idea of Hollywood profiting off, a tragic event for studio gain, was a little inky & not cool. It didn't help that the money earn from this film, was not given to, many charities of the victims, involves in this recreated storytelling. Sadly, I don't think, that was the case, with this movie. Still, regardless of that, I found Oliver Stone to be respectful enough to the real-life story, not to delve too much into misguided conspiracy theories like he did with 1991's 'JFK'. Although, it does depict a few events that blatantly contradict official explanations of what happen in real-life, such as the film's showing of TV footage of the precipitous collapse of WTC 7 and the attack on Israel. However, I'm willing to let that past, due to the fact that confusion was very rampant, that day. Glad, there was little-to-no political themes. At least, not until his later film, 2008's 'W.'. Another thing that I found alright about this movie, is the acting. While, I wouldn't say, this is Cage's best role, but it's far from his worst. Cage is fine, here. He honestly tries his best, by focusing on accurately speaking with a New York accent. And to also capture the fear and claustrophobia of McLoughlin's ordeal, Cage spent hours in a sensory-deprivation tank. So mad props to him for that, even if Michael Pena still out-acted him, in this film. Pena really look like he was in the brick of death, with his pale face of fear and pain, even with his face, cover in mostly darkness, during the second & third act. That's how amazing, he was. Given that, I have to say, the supporting cast was equally as good, but if I have to nitpick, I felt that the filmmakers didn't give female actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maria Bello as the two-police officers' wives, Allison Jimeno & Donna McLoughlin, much to work with. Overall: While, not as good as other buried alive trapped films like director, Danny Boyle's 2010's film '127 Hours', which had better pacing, editing, and music. Given the epic intense violence of the Towers' falls and the thoroughness of destruction evident at Ground Zero, it was still interesting enough to watch a movie about people trying to survive during its aftermath, even if it's super pitch dark & hard to see. Much like director Paul Greengrass movie, 'United 93' about United Airlines Flight 93 — which crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers apparently tried to overpower the terrorist hijackers, also released in 2007, the movie will also be very subjective and hard to watch for some, emotionally. Nevertheless, at least, 2006's 'World Trade Center' is more accuracy, watchable & respectful, than more recent films about 9/11, like director, Martin Guigui's film '9/11'. Check 'World Trade Center' in its place of that crap. That's for sure, but if you have a choice. See 'United 93'. Now, that's a powerful movie.