United 93, the new film chronicling the famed "flight that fought back" on that fateful day in September, must have been a hard film to dramatize. With loads of controversy and complaints surrounding its release, it is hard to tell if the film will open people's eyes or keep them at bay. Early promotional material for the film was met with utter criticism, causing it to be pulled from many theater chains. However, this has not stopped the film from quietly becoming one of the season's must see events. Thankfully, director Paul Greengrass has created an excellent, intense and powerful drama that stays true to the actual events. Unfortunately, while the film is great, it is not the kind of film that you will ever want to see again.

Unlike most films, United 93 doesn't look at each character and delve into their personal life. In fact, we don't even know the names of most that appear on screen. Because of this, most of the characters are divided into two groups - the passengers and the terrorists on the plane. Greengrass's choice to do this works very well and adds to the film's realism. It is not important to know who these characters are and what they have done in the past. What matters is now, and how they react to the situation that they are in. All of the actors give top-notch performances. Almost all of them are complete unknowns, which makes you look at them as real people and not just actors playing a part.

Paul Greengrass has done an excellent job directing this film and should be remembered come awards season. The film is shot almost as if it were a documentary, with shaky handheld camera techniques used throughout. This makes it feel as if you are right in there with the characters as the events of the day unfold. Greengrass successfully makes the airplane environment seem tight and claustorphobic, moving the camera just the right way to show the complete instability of the location. He also never shies away from any aspect of the true story. Everything is graphic, realistic and haunting. In terms of writing, the screenplay (also by Greengrass) is exceptional - particularly in the film's final moments.

The musical score by John Powell should also be noted. It is incredibly subtle, but when it is used it adds a pulsating sense of urgency to the scene - making everything much more intense. It also doesn't overwhelm the audience with loud interludes. Everything is subdued and fairly quiet, but just as effective.

Overall, United 93 is highly recommended for its fantastic portrayl of this real-life tragedy. Everyone should definitely make an effort to see this important film. But be warned beforehand - this is a film that is incredibly hard to watch. It will keep your nerves on edge from the opening scene until the powerful and unbelievably haunting end.

8/10 (A-)

I wonder what happens in the end...

So, does it present the events as fact or does it give you a fair and balanced portrait, in other words, does the movie hint at other possibilities of what happened on that fateful flight?

I know that everyone knows what happens in the end, but the way that it is done is incredibly effective.

And it doesn't really hint at other possibilities for the most part. It answers many questions cinematically, such as where the terrorists plan to crash the plane into (the Capital) and such.

ugh i was afraid of this. It's like pop culture now believes that this plain was in fact headed for DC, that passengers crashed it to save it, and worse of all, that we know all there is to know about the crash when in fact we dont.

It is, in all honesty, one of the hardest films I've ever had to watch.

I completely agree.

Dear directors,

Stop trying.

Kkthx,
kypade

you saw it?

I'm surprised that more from here haven't seen this by now. I would have expected more reviews.

Very, very difficult to watch but very well done, although it could have been about 15-20 minutes shorter. Also, Greengrass is too much in love with the jumpy camera which is very annoying. Leave it still sometimes.

Grade: A-

I was riveted. It left me shaken. More so than I can remember in any film in recent memory. And maybe the only such experience I've had in a theater setting.

But before I start singing the film's praises...

Can I honestly give a positive review to/recommend a film that pretty much left me agony from frame to frame? I usually like being "riveted," but as I was coming out of the theater, I wondered to myself whether or not I would want someone else to experience what I'd just experienced, and my conclusion was basically...

No.

More later.

I feel the same way pretty much.

Because most of us including myself have no desire or morbid fascination in seeing something like this that makes you want to slit your wrist on the way out of the theatre that's why.. I mean, I'm sure it's probably well done, but come on already.. For someone to sit through this more than once leads me to believe that there is a morbid fascination with the individual wanting to see this more than once..

Well I feel like slitting my wrists after reading all your posts, but I still read them..

This film is probably impossible to grade. I actually found the first half, before the towers were hit, to be slightly boring and incompetent. We were left to watch a bunch of green dots on screens and hear a bunch of guys with thick accents yell and scream at each other. Once the film starts to get focus though, and we train in on the passengers of flight 93, it hits a whole new level. By the time the final frame rolled, I felt completely overwhelmed and emotionally devastated. During the final fifteen minutes, I had to choke back tears several times for fear of just completely breaking down and bawling. I'm a firm believer that a film's main objective should be to make you feel. Whatever that emotion may be. And in that regard, United 93 is on a league of it's own. I had a gut level, visceral reaction to this film like none other. It's an emotional sucker punch in every sense of the word. To see these people fight and scratch and claw and tear other human beings limb from limb, and knowing in the back of your mind that it's all for not... it's just devastating.

In regards to the film being potentially jingoistic... it's not in the slightest. There are no "ra-ra, go America!" moments. Greengrass plays on an even keel as much as one could with this subject matter. There are no black and white caricatures to be found here, even with the terrorists. Everything has a distinct shade of grey, and I applaud the film for that.

The technical aspects, which seem almost kind of pointless to discuss with a film like this... I'm not a fan of Greengrass's directing style. The first half of the film was a bit of mess, partly because of it. I felt the final third really played to his strengths as a filmmaker, though, and the style is completely appropriate. The score was excellent. Nothing overbearing or too dramatic. It fit perfectly, and helped elevate certain scenes. The acting ranged from great to decent, which I guess can be expected.

If I'm grading United 93 as a film and strictly a film, removing all emotion from it (which I again I think is crucial to a film), I'd give it a C. It's inconsistent (the second half is much better than the first), and I hate the style of filmmaking. However, the way this film made me feel... I've never felt like that during a film before, and I seriously doubt I ever will again. I have to give this film an A because of the emotional impact it had on me. It was just too much to ignore, and isn't that why we all go to the movies? To feel something? Well, here's your chance.

It's so hard to watch, but it has to be seen, I think. The film isn't technically perfect (not a fan of the camera style), but I don't recall a film having such a big emotional impact on me as this one did.

A-

One more thing...

I really don't know how or why this film had such a huge impact on me. I went in feeling extremely cynical towards it. So, I'd recommend that everyone that feels that way, should give it a shot.

The short of it is that we as human beings are naturally moved by displays of heroism and courage, and especially when we have a personal connection to the event during which the heroism was displayed.


Since you and I and everyone else witnessed 9/11 in real-time, it is part of our life, and the events in the film are much more personal than they would otherwise be. There is no good historical equivalent, because thanks to the global communications system, we watched the events unfold in a way that people could not have when Pearl Harbour was attacked or the atomic bomb dropped. But sufficeth to say that future generations, being removed from the events, will judge the film from a distance, perhaps appreciating the heroism therein (which is eternal), but probably not responding to it in a directly emotional way as you did.

Anyways, that's what I think.

I actually HAVE slit my wrist's reading your posts, but I'm still a survivor..

Why?? Why does it have to be seen?? I can turn on CNN or Headline News right now and they'll beat you across the head with this movie to the point where you've actually seen it already, except FOR REAL.. No movie adaptation of it.. I'll pass..

That's not entirely true. I was out having breakfast with my brother when cells phones started going off. Instead of running home and being glued to the tv, we continued our morning as much as we could, finished eating, went DVD shopping at Circuit City, etc...

Circuit City needed business too

No, see, when I said that it "must be seen," I was referring to normal people. You're fine to sit home and watch CNN with bradley witherberry on your couch.

I don't think it's something that needs to be seen by anyone, mostly because, well, it's just not that good. Everything outside of the plane is a mess and boring. They did a pretty good job with the stuff ON the plane...or rather, they did a good job with the "fight back"...the normal "all's well" portions were pretty hokey...the only thing that really made it worth watching were the phone calls home and the actual rebellion.

I dunno.

I do agree that the ending was pretty fantastic (the real ending, the last minute or so), but I wish it hadn't gone to black-with-white-text.

I think, really, I just wished it was more encompassing, made it clear just how important that day really was...it almost felt like this was the story of a hijacking that just happened to coincidentally fall on September 11th.

Meh.