United 93

United 93

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United 93

Olivia Thirlby, David Alan Basche, Liza Colon-Zayas, Denny Dillon, April Telek

This is the story of the takeoff and hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93 by terrorists, the discovery by passengers with cell phones that other hijacked planes had been steered into the World Trade...( read more  read more... ) Center towers, and the realization that their plane was being steered toward Washington D.C.

Id: 5241197

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  • November 27, 2009
    ''We have to do something, they are not going to land this plane.''

    A real time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.

    Paul Greengrass: D...( read more)irector of Flight 93.

    Paul Greengrass's bold dramatization of the horrific events of September 11th 2001 was one of the biggest undertakings taken in cinema in the first few years of 21st century. The importance of the event was undeniable, but the emotions which it had naturally aroused in those personally involved in the story and the vast majority of the world's public made this subject incredibly delicate. However, with United 93, Greengrass met the many obstacles that came with the project; thus establishing himself as one of the most talented and important filmmakers out there.

    The power of United 93 comes almost entirely from the genius of Greengrass; the script, the style and his execution of a brilliant and sensitive piece of film-making. The film is not a simple documentary drama.
    It is a true to the events but takes the steps necessary to turn it in to a story with intelligent perception of what happened and helps us connect with all the people involved; which isn't just everyone on the plane. Bravely, however, this film takes on the subject of the hijackers without reducing them to inhuman psychopaths but portrays them as misguided human beings. Before one boards flight 93 to carry out their terrible plan; he uses his phone and simply says "I love you"; a touch of genuine class from Greengrass whom shows us the tragic humanity of the hijackers yet cleverly never sides or goes against them; this is a genuine account of what happened from various sources.
    Starring many unknowns, and even some of the real people involved at the airport, including Lewis Alsamari as Saeed Al Ghamdi, J.J. Johnson as Captain Jason Dahl, Gary Commock as First Officer LeRoy Homer, Trish Gates as Sandra Bradshaw, Polly Adams as Deborah Welsh, Cheyenne Jackson as Mark Bingham, Opal Alladin as CeeCee Lyles, Starla Benford as Wanda Anita Green, Nancy McDoniel as Lorraine G. Bay and David Alan Basche as Todd Beamer. The real events inside the plane will never be known, but the authentic feeling aroused in United 93, from the phone calls made by the doomed passengers, is convincing, gripping, moving and dignified, a magnificent drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Editing, and it won the BAFTAs for Best Editing and the David Lean Award for Direction for Greengrass, and it was nominated for the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound.

    Due to Greengrass's sensitive handling of the story it is not hard to see why it won so many Awards and Nominations, he is to be praised (he only proceeded with the film once he had gained the consent of all the families of United 93, whom co-operated with his research),but his realization of the story on screen is the real triumph. His hand-held style, which is exhilarating in the Bourne series; a style he contrasts with the scenes on the ground where the chaos is viewed through a far more stable and controlled environment. The sheer lack of order and control that occurred on the ground that day with the air-traffic controllers and the federal government is brought to our eyes effectively; with some of the crucial real life figures re-enacting what happened that day.

    All of this would still have been rather pointless had it not been for the power of the story being told. The courage of the passengers is incredibly powerful and a testament to the human spirit which seemed so absent that day. The final part of the film in which the passengers fight back happens is a glorious piece of cinema. Moving, chilling, haunting; it is an absolutely perfect ending to an important reminder and recording of events.
  • September 18, 2009
    Greengrass manages to capture the horror, without showing anything horrific, in this intense portrayal of what happened on that terrible day. Although I do not believe for one second that what happens in this film happened in real life, I have the upmost respect and admiration fo...( read more)r this film. The documentary style of filming has rarely been better than this.
  • September 7, 2009
    much better than the budget version made around the same time "flight 93". i'm not a big fan of paul greengrass screwing up the bourne movies after the awesome first one.... but here he does exactly what is required
  • May 12, 2009
    Incredibly gripping, upsetting and visceraly intense cinéma vérité.
  • March 19, 2009
    Greengrass has a talent for making you feel like you are right there in the chaos. His style suits the subject matter.
  • December 19, 2009
    I felt the emotion in this movie, they couldive survive in the end but it was too late.... what a shame, I cried in the end.
  • December 17, 2009
    Absolutely terrifying!
  • December 2, 2009
    was hard to watch, but well done in terms of realism.
  • November 22, 2009
    Maybe the most gripping movie I've ever seen. There is no possible way to know what exactly happened on United 93 on Sept. 11, but I believe this is close. It's impossible for any human being to truly understand or imagine the horror the passengers on this or the other 9-11 fligh...( read more)ts endured, but this movie gives the viewer a taste of what it's like. A stirring tribute to all who died that day and an immortal testament to the United 93 passengers' heroism, courage and bravery. Bring a box of Kleenex when watching this, especially how it ended. It will leave you sitting and crying alone in the dark I promise you.
  • November 19, 2009
    This is an incredible movie. Certainly one of the most moving that I have seen in many years.

    Casting relative unknowns was the key to this frightening realistic portrayal of September 11. Though, due to the casting real people in many roles, the dialogue's delivery does suffe...( read more)r from time time, but it is also those faults that make this so believable.

    The sense of shock at the second plane hitting the South Tower was so well portrayed, edited and directed that it sends shivers down my spine, though in many ways because I saw this day unfold live myself.

    This is truly one of the greats, dealing with an historical event in such a mature way that it should stand as an historical document for decades to come.

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