The fuss about “United 93,” which details the by now
well-known story of said flight’s passengers and how they
fought back against their hijackers on Sept. 11, is whether
it’s being released too soon. Of course, art of any kind
should never have to wait; but what people are really worried about
is not art, but “the 9/11 movie” ““ the
exploitative Hollywood version.
The fact remains ““ despite Universal’s donation of
10 percent of the opening-weekend gross to the Flight 93 National
Memorial ““ that “United 93″ is going to, in all
likelihood, profit from tragedy. The remarkable thing about it,
however, is that for the most part it manages to be as restrained,
tasteful and well-made as one could hope from a studio
production.
Director Paul Greengrass’ mission is to recreate the
day’s events as faithfully as possible, and he achieves a
meticulous level of realism, using either relatively unknown or
nonprofessional actors ““ some characters are played by
themselves. The events on the plane ““ fact-checked through
interviews with the passengers’ families, cockpit recordings
and the 9/11 Commission Report ““ unfold in real-time with
Greengrass’ trademark handheld camera work (“The Bourne
Supremacy,” “Bloody Sunday”).
A few moments come off as Hollywood cliches, including the
obligatory close-up shots of people standing around with their
hands clasped near their mouths after the planes hit the towers, a
few liberties taken with the ending and an unnecessary and
confusing final dedication. Still, such moments are exceptions, and
the film’s believability earns the audience’s emotional
investment.
The film also succeeds enormously as entertainment. It’s
slow to start, but once the plane leaves the ground, the intensity
builds more skillfully than any thriller in recent memory. By the
end, the tension in the cabin is palpable. The passengers’
climactic attack is finally messy, desperate, cathartic.
The problem is, that’s it. “United 93″
executes its premise with genuine heart and few flaws, but the
matter-of-fact premise undercuts the potential for great art. By
sticking to straightforward reenactment, the film is thematically
little more than a sincere tribute, and it ultimately feels
superfluous.
Considering Sept. 11 is possibly the most culturally significant
event of these times, it’s not too demanding to want a little
more.