United 93 (2006)

X An excellent must-see
O Good video rental
O Mediocre
O Rent something else

Review by Jason Pyles / June 8, 2007

When I watch “United 93,” the phrase “an important film” comes to mind.

I’d like to make clear that this film does not exploit the ill-fated flight(s) of September 11, 2001, but it does relive them. If you were like most of America and had a strong emotional reaction that day, you’ll experience it anew while watching “United 93.”

Much of the movie (if not most) takes place amid the chaos and confusion of various air traffic control centers. The narrative recreates the events of the day, beginning with the terrorists praying in the early hours of the morning, preparing for their mission.

We see actual footage of the towers, and the other three flights are discussed, but we only see the onboard goings-on of flight 93, the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania from an insurrection of courageous passengers.

To add to the authenticity of the film, many of the actual control center personnel on duty that day reenacted their same roles, including Ben Sliney.

Edited or not, this film is still upsetting no matter how you slice it. Even so, it’s an important historical film and a cinematic treasure depicting one of America’s darkest days.

Directed by Paul Greengrass
Ben Sliney / Peter Hermann / Saeed Al Ghamdi
111 min. Drama / Historical
(Original MPAA rating: R)
Edited version age recommendation: 15 and up

DVD release date: September 5, 2006
Copyright 2007.
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