Movie Review: United 93

United 93 (2006)

Directed by Paul Greengrass

Written by Paul Greengrass

Starring Ben Sliney, Gregg Henry 

Release Date April 28th, 2006

Published April 29th, 2006

A normal film review includes a description of the film's plot. That seems a bit trivial when discussing United 93. The first theatrical release to take a head-on look at 9/11 just does not need much description of it's plot. The essential information is ingrained in the memories of all Americans. To attempt to give a typical description of a movie plot in terms of United 93 seems vulgar but then much of what surrounds the idea of 9/11: The Movie is rather vulgar.

What you need to know about United 93 is that Director Paul Greengrass takes a pseudo-documentary look at the events of that day from the perspective of the real life air traffic controllers and executives in charge of our airways.

And most importantly Greengrass takes us inside the final hijacked plane, United 93, and through the evidence gathered from 911 calls, air traffic control logs and the testimony of family members who received horrifying final phone calls from loved ones, reconstructs what likely happened just before United 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

Paul Greengrass, the director of Bloody Sunday and Bourne Supremacy, is a highly skilled filmmaker with a documentarians eye for realism. His approach to making United 93, a film with as delicate a subject matter as this, is restained and eloquent. His aim is to pay tribute to the heroes who died on United 93 and he accomplishes that goal. I cannot dispute, in anyway Greengrass's goal in making this film or the high quality of his accomplishment. And yet I cannot recommend this movie.

For me, this wound is still too raw. Watching United 93 is not an experience I can recommend to anyone. It is so visceral and so surreal, it is like watching 9/11 happen all over again. Only this time you are closer than ever. You are right over the shoulder of Ben Sliney the man in charge of the airspace over the eastern seaboard on 9/11.

Sliney plays himself in United 93 and his authenticity brings the horror of our futility on that day closer to home. There is no question that Ben Sliney is one of the few heroes of that day, he made the call to close all American airspace despite having questionable authority to do so. While the President of the United States was not heard from by anyone until 25 minutes after United 93 crashed, Ben Sliney was the only man in the country making decisions to save lives that day.

Paul Greengrass makes no overt political statement with United 93. Reality however, does make a statement about the President's involvement that day and the facts are presented without comment in United 93.

The fact is, after the second plane hit the world trade center, military leaders -represented in the film by actor Gregg Henry and several real life military officers and enlisted personnel- tried to get the president to give them the rules of engagement. They needed to know if they had the authority to shoot down a hijacked commercial airliner. They could not find the president or vice president. No orders were given.

As a historical document United 93 is a powerful reminder of our nations greatest tragedy and an example of our greatest asset, individual heroism. The film cements the legacy of the brave people who died trying to take back flight 93 before it could get to its target. Their example is a legacy that will live forever.

There will never be another 9/11 style attack on this country. Because of the passengers on United 93 the rules of engagement for hijackers have changed forever. Our complacency has been forever shaken and in the future terrorists will not take over planes without a fight from the passengers and crew. No new FAA regulations or leadership from Washington will be needed. Nothing but the will and bravery of individuals will keep this from happening the same way again. That is the legacy that is so well documented in United 93.

And yet I must again say I don't recommend this film. It is just too painful. It's, I'm sorry to say, too soon. As I watched crowds lining up to watch United 93 it occurred to me how bizarre the whole idea of a 9/11 movie is. I could not escape the thought of how vulgar it is that people are reliving 9/11 with a bag of popcorn on their lap and a bucket of soda. That is just appalling.