Film: United 93
Tagline
September 11, 2001. Four planes were hijacked. Three of them reached their target. This is the story of the fourth.
I walked into this film with mixed feelings about what I was about to see; I wanted to see it but I didn’t. I can imagine many people must share those feelings judging by the amount of discussion it sparked. It seemed everywhere I went people were talking about it, in university, in the pub, in the sauna… The general feeling I got was one of ‘they should never have made a film about it, its too soon. How can they profit from a disaster like this?!’ I have to be honest, I commend the courage of the families in wanting this movie to be made, and I was curious, wanted to know what happened, so I went.
The film, I will never forget.
The reaction in the room, I will never forget.
Contents
I half imagined the film to make out the hijackers as being all that is evil, and the big strong Americans saved the day again. Thankfully, this film was nothing like that. It was more like a documentary. The hijackers were so very young; the people on board were normal everyday folk, it was easy to imagine this actually happening, as, of course, it did.
Taking actual telephone conversations with families and other data, they put it all together, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to recreate what happened that day. It portrays the disbelief and confusion of air traffic control and the military. But the most impressive message was the courage of these everyday folk on this plane as they over powered the hijackers, you find yourself right there with them.
The end of the film comes and the credits are silent, as is the room. Never mind a pin not dropping, I don’t think anyone even breathed for ages, let alone moved.
Verdict: Not a film for entertainment, more a documentary, a lesson in humanity, a film to be watched with respect and remembrance of all endurance and personal strength around the world in history.