Stephen Films - Reviews - United 93 (Universal: 2006)

United 93
(Universal: 2006)
Before I had walked into the movie theater to see United 93, I began to question my motives for seeing the film. I had known for weeks that I wanted to see the movie as soon as possible; but I didn’t know what had motivated me to want to see the movie. I didn’t want to approach United 93 as just another entertainment experience. I wanted my motives to be honest and pure. Did I really understand the gravity of what I was about to see?

Like so many other people, I remember exactly where I was when the World Trade Center was hit by terrorist hijackers on September 11, 2001. I was in my bedroom at the time, getting ready to tackle some schoolwork for the day, when my father called home from work to alert us that the first of the twin towers had just been struck. It was a day that I knew I would never forget.

Yet, as I sat in a comfortable movie theater seat and waited to reach the end of several opening previews, I began to wonder if I had forgotten. Sure, I may have remembered the physical events that transpired on that day. But did I remember the raw emotion and terror that everybody felt when the World Trade Center was attacked? Did I really remember all of the people who died that day?

It was only minutes into the movie that I suddenly did remember. It hit me all at once, like a ton of bricks falling on my head, but I certainly remembered.

As United 93 began to show passengers ready to board their flight out of Newark, NJ, I remembered that day. Yes, the terrorists were there, nervously preparing themselves for their upcoming mission. But the other passengers were also there – normal people who phoned their families, read their magazines, and discussed their plans as they prepared to arrive in San Francisco later that day.

But of course, these weren’t just normal people. These were real people. These were people who had families that they truly cared about. These were people who really did board United 93 on that infamous day. These were people who didn't realize that they were about to die at the hands of religious extremists. I soon found myself fighting off tears.

From the very beginning, United 93 quickly grows in both physical and emotional intensity. The movie transports you to the day of the terrorist attacks. It places you into the minds of everybody who lived through that day, both on board and off board the flight. It’s like reliving 9/11 all over again, with no foreknowledge of how or why the United States is under attack. It is a pure drama of passion and terror, with no political or social agenda in mind.

All of the actors in the film are virtual unknowns, which further adds to the reality of the movie. Every performance given in United 93 is superb, but no one actor or actress stands out among the others. This is a true ensemble film. It is perfectly directed to emphasize the unity, the confusion, and the fear of all the passengers aboard the flight.

I don’t believe that there is any other recent film that I can possibly give a higher recommendation than I can give United 93. It is simply a superb movie, in terms of both movie-making quality and historical significance. It is a movie that virtuously honors the memories of those who died on September 11, without losing the thematic intensity that reminds us of why we watch movies in the first place. It is a movie that I know I will never forget.

Score:

(5 stars out of 5)