The
answer, it seems, may lie within the films themselves. Both directors
set out to make totally different movies – not just in story, or tone,
but also in terms of how commercially viable they wanted them to
be.
93, it seems,
wants to be no more than a starless (in that, besides a couple of
‘somewhat’ recognizable faces, there’s no names in here at all)
recreation of that fateful day, that’s fortunately interested in only
telling it like it is/was/straight-up/ and as detailed as possible,
(even if that means ditching the Celine Dion theme for a few more
minutes of chit-chat between a couple of central characters).
Because
it looks so real, and it’s performed so real, you believe it is – real,
and have to remind yourself that you’re not a blowfly on the wall,
circa 2001. And though it too is an admirable film, and does have its
moments, World Trade Center
is a much lesser take on the 911 tragedy because, well, it wants to be
a movie. A blockbuster trying to hide the fact that it is. The ‘button
pushing’ and ‘big names’ are just as important to the film as the
central storyline it seems with that one. I could be wrong, but I
believe the mere presence of Nicolas Cage in the film is proof enough
that it wasn’t ‘all about’ the people, and the story.
Unlike Center
– which fixes essentially on only a couple of characters, some firemen
that get stuck under the rubble when the towers come down – United 93
retraces the journey of the doomed passengers of United Flight 93. If
there’s any slightly – because they did, after all, tragically die –
feel good tale of the 911 yarns, this is it. The ‘passengers fight
back’ story of 93. It’s a very stirring story. Though the people did
essentially lose, so did the terrorists onboard.
United 93
is a marvellous film. It really gets into your system – and doesn’t let
go. The performances are amazing. The direction is powerful. The
writing is impeccable. If you don’t walk away from the film and just
want to hug the person closest to you, you’re in the cinema next door
watching the new Robin Williams movie. Simple as that.
If they
must make these films on 911 – let them take a page out of Paul
Greengrass’s book and make them for the people, and straight-up
recreations. Screw the bean counters.
United 93
is a disturbing film – but in a good way. If it had been that studio
wank intent on pushing buttons and guaranteeing Christmas bonuses, that
some of us suspected it may have been, it would have been much, much
more disturbing.
EXTRAS The DVD includes, among other compelling extras, a 50-minute doco in
which we meet the families behind the victims. Very interesting, if a
little unsettling when these people meet the actors that are playing
their son/daughter/wife/husband/grandfather in the film.
Also in
terms of extras, there's a documentary on the military and civilian
controllers who were on duty the day of September 11, and biographies
of all the passengers. Conclusion:
Movie: 90% Extras: 70%
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