I watched the movie United 93 this weekend, after having the netflix DVD sitting around for weeks on end. I had no sooner rented it than I started to wonder if I could watch it without feeling icky, that it was too soon, that I didn't want to relive that day through the eyes of the passengers on the plane. Finally, having nothing else to watch, I inserted the disc and pressed play. Luckily, there was nothing for me to have worried about.
With no disrespect to the days events and the people involved in them, the only way I can characterize this movie is in the words of J who called it "a re-enactment." That's it. As the credits rolled I said, "I'm trying to figure out why this movie was made. It didn't answer any questions, it didn't expand my understanding of the events and it didn't necessarily go out of its way to do honor to the victims of the attack. It was, like J said, simply a re-enactment of the days events; nothing more. In which case, you can just read the 9/11 Commission's report.
So if you feel strongly that you must sample all 9/11-related fare, go ahead. But if you are looking for a movie with a viewpoint or with a story to tell (beyond the story that's already been told and told and told), you might want to look elsewhere.
As always, I watch 'em so you don't have to.
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