[Rivalry]

Instant Opinion
A staggeringly intense and emotive film which depicts the events around 9/11 with shocking realism.


I have never cried at a film before; and I've watched some pretty harrowing movies (Schindler's List, Der Pianist, Moon, that bit in Deep Blue Sea where Samuel L. Jackson dies </3). I'm not arrogant about this- I've just never empathized with characters to the degree of becoming choked up before.
And yet a film which gives only around 3 characters names in the entire thing had me losing it by an hour and twenty minutes. Before that, the insanely concentrated pace had me sweating for much of the movie; astounding, considering around 70% of it takes place sitting down on an economy class plane.

Plot/Script
For those of you who are unaware, United 93 follows the events of the only plane hijacked in 9/11 that failed to reach its target- the White House. The viewer sees the events of the day unfold in real time, ending with the retaking of United 93's cockpit by the passengers in a desperate attempt to halt the plane's suicide mission.

The script is shatteringly honest, neither shying away from criticising the US government's slow and weak response to the hijackings, nor avoiding the harsh reality of depicting every moment in the cabin of United 93, or the events as they unfold at the World Trade Centre or the Pentagon. It's faithful to real world events, and moves the plot along fast enough to generate real anxiety amongst the viewers; I was watching this with my friends, and whilst there would usually be some back and forth throughout the film, the astounding pace and intensity created by the script guaranteed an hour and a half of total silence.

Acting
I recognized no famous faces during this film- but maybe that's part of the point; that this happened to unknown people. Despite the lack of famed talent, the acting in United 93 was outstanding. The pained face of the hijacker who wasn't totally onboard with the concept, to the bemused and helpless staff at Air Traffic Control, through to the very passengers themselves. An all round emotive and emotional performance, which is entirely relatable to the real world.

Camerawork/Directing
This is what makes this film. Cameras are positioned in ideal places to showcase the passengers' desperate struggle for survival; whether it's during the storming of the cockpit at the end as the hijackers drive the plane towards earth, or in Newark airport's Control Tower, watching the second plane hit the World Trade Centre, the directing is sensational. The viewer feels like they're actually there, partaking in events, and the camerawork adds pace and gravitas to the plot- I felt more tense watching the passengers trying to smash their way into the cockpit than I have in any war film. Often the cameras are positioned in seats, so that it feels as though the film is shown from an actual passenger's point of view; when something shocking happens, the camera looks away, adding tension and realism.

Special Effects/Misc
This isn't a film which relies on Special FX, like Prometheus or Star Trek. However, watching a plane hit the World Trade Center in this film is as believable as watching it in real life, and seeing the ground spiral towards United 93 from the cockpit window extracted gasps around the room. Again, the film doesn't shy away from showing gritty moments on screen- the stabbing of a first class passenger, for instance.

Verdict
The single most intense and energetic film I have ever seen. This film kept me up most of the night just thinking about it, and does an exceptional job of relaying a touchy subject to the world in a bold and perceptive manner, which is really the best memorial that anyone killed in 9/11 could hope for.
★★★★★