Very Painful, But Incredible

Rating: 9/10 (10 August 2006)

Despite the fact that this is an Oliver Stone movie, I was surprised to find that it didn't have any real political connotation (which wasn't a bad thing). Be very aware that this movie dose not try to explore the motivations of why 9/11 occurred, but it shows the experiences of two men and their families after the buildings collapsed.
With that being said, the movie finds its strength by focusing on the hope for the two men trapped in the wreckage of the World Trade Center, in lieu of focusing on the despair and hopelessness felt by all of the families who lost a loved one. I felt this was key in keeping the story from being over-dramatic, while still being dramatic on an acceptable and appropriate level.
The performances by Michael Pena and Nicholas Cage are quite memorable, as both of the men grippingly convey their incredible pain as they're trapped in the WTC. The audience can especially see the driving motivation of Cage's character, John McLoughlin, as the only thing that manages to keep him alive is the thought of his wife and children. I can see Cage getting a nod for best actor for his performance in World Trade Center.
The other aspect of this film was seeing the events of 9/11 through the family members, an aspect that I personally hadn't considered of importance before seeing the movie. I had mixed feelings here. Agreeing with the previous reviewer, Maria Bello (the wife of officer , John McLoughlin) gave a very bland performance, and most of her actions were a tad in-genuine. However, Maggie Gyllenhaal was amazing as the wife of Officer Michael Peña. The viewer felt genuinely terrified for her as she went through the emotions of fearing that her husband was dead.
One low point in the film, was the side-story of a Marine that looks for WTC victims. His story should have either been left out all together, or provided more attention. His role in the movie feels more like an after thought than anything else.
The production values were, as expected, quite high. The viewpoint from the inside of the towers collapsed was particularly incredible and notable, and realistic at the same moment. This was a technically flawless movie, and instead of using actual footage from the press coverage, most everything about the exterior of the towers was done with computer graphics.
This movie isn't for everyone (even though I think everyone should go see it). It's very difficult to watch during certain parts. And if you feel that you couldn't open your mind to the possibility that this movie is about more than just making another Hollywood blockbuster, then don't go and see it. But I do think that the fact that I'm writing this review is a testament to how much I think that others should see it.
So open up to something that may provoke some emotion out of you. Be it fear, anger, sadness. That's what good dramas are supposed to do. And if World Trade Center does this for you, then its done its job.