The rebellion of the passengers on Flight 93, the commercial aeroplane that was almost certainly set to smash into the White House on 9/11, adopted mythical status almost as soon as the details began to be known. The notion of desperate citizens thwarting the terrorist plot and altering history is incredibly moving, and has lead to inappropriate sentimentalising and ill-considered deification for all those on board. This is the great achievement of UK director Paul Greengrass' United 93, a film that exerts an incredible power through the depiction of all its characters, terrorists included, as human beings, rather than the gods and monsters the media have illustrated.
Although the action is soberly depicted, the film nevertheless criticises the US government's handling of the attacks. When the planes start to hit their targets (the moment when the first plane hits the towers is still shocking, in spite of its familiarity), the President is completely unreachable, at a time when people were in desperate need of guidance.
The admirably tasteful film follows the events on both sky and ground level, and the passengers' slow realisation that they are on a suicide mission, following the reports of the attacks on the World Trade Centre, troublingly conveys the growing dread and desperation. The acting of the film is disquietingly believable - the contained emotions of the controllers on the ground is sharply contrasted by the tangible terror of the doomed passengers. Passenger Todd Beamer's famous remark "let's roll", far from being the triumphant rallying cry endlessly mythologised in the press, is a simple statement of resolution, a far more believable scenario. Another effective, and credible, decision is to suggest that the passengers were motivated by the hope that their actions would save their own lives (one of them knew how to fly a plane) rather than a heroic attempt to prevent further bloodshed. The last twenty minutes, in which chaos and confusion reign, are simply astonishing - harrowing, sad and, thanks to its sophisticated refusal to exaggerate, deeply moving. One of the very best films of the year, and a definite contender for next year's Oscars.
A brilliant depiction of the events that took place on United Flight 93, the aeroplane that was set to crash into the White House on 9/11 but was prevented from its mission by the passengers on the aircraft, who fought back against the terrorists. The film refuses to sensationalise, and the last 20 minutes features some of the best cinema you will see this year. Highly recommended.
I simply imagine how will a husband, a child, wife, a mother, a son, a daughter or a grandchild feel when watching the tragic death of their loves ones into a movie li... more >
I simply imagine how will a husband, a child, wife, a mother, a son, a daughter or a grandchild feel when watching the tragic death of their loves ones into a movie like this.
Is it to satisfy curiosity...I hope not. Let all those who wacth this movie be aware that it could have been anyone of us in this plane.
'United 93 - The Families And The Film': meet the families behind United Airlines Flight 93, share their personal account of the events that changed their lives and why they were interested in supporting the making of the movie (60 mins)
Memorial Pages: passengers and crew of United Flight 93 are remembered with 40 written biographies.
The Queen
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United 93
