United 93

—1. Overview
—2. Cast and Crew
—3. Photo Pages
—4. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—5. Posters (Airplanes)
—6. Production Notes (pdf)
—7. Spiritual Connections
—8. Presentation Downloads

“United 93” – is an important movie to see, but very difficult to watch. Even though the tragic events of 9/11 have been seared into my heart and mind, this movie served, albeit painfully, to provide me with an inside glimpse of the suffering and hurt that so many people experienced on this fateful day.

A Real Honest Movie

Director & Screenplay Writer Paul Greengrass deserves credit for making a movie that tells the dramatic story of the 4th hijacked plane on 9/11 in a realistic and non-sensational manner. This movie is a real time account of the United 93, from the dual vantage point of inside and outside the plane, as passengers, crew, and air-traffic controllers understand and respond to the unfolding events. The hopes, dreams and plans of the passengers contrasted with the acute tension of the hijackers serves as a dramatic backdrop for the story that unfolds as the movie progresses. (Yes, artistic license is taken to fill in the missing gaps of the story, but this is handled well and the dialogue is believable and provides some valuable insights into what it must have been like to be aboard this airplane as the flight progressed).

As I watched the story of the passengers and crew of United 93, held hostage by a group of religious extremists, and their struggle to stay alive – I began to identify with those who would eventually lose their lives on this mournful and fateful day. Throughout the movie I could not help but to continually flash back in my mind to September 11, 2001 – when I, along with the rest of the nation gradually became aware of what was transpiring –right before our very eyes. This film provides a clear view into what the passengers and crew of United 93 must have been thinking as they too began to realize what was happening.


Spectator vs. Participant

The big difference here is that I have been a spectator on both occasions – and that the passengers and crew who experienced this never lived to personally tell their story.

It is has been often said that the best way to understand someone else is to put yourself into their shoes- this film allows the viewer to do this – and for a tension filled 111 minutes this movie offers a glimpse into what it must have felt like to BE one of the passengers on United flight 93. The awful and bleak reality slowly creeps into the minds and hearts of the flight 93’s passengers and crew – as they realize that the hijackers are crazed zealots who have no intention of ending this ordeal except through suicide.

Prior to the film’s release there was a good amount of talk that the filmmakers were merely attempting to make a quick buck by capitalizing on the events of United 93. With this in mind I went to check out this movie – and was not sure if I would walk away with a similar opinion.

After viewing this movie I am disturbed and upset – not at the filmmakers – but conversely at the hijackers and those who support their cause. I don’t define courage by taking your own life – and taking others to the grave with you in the process. It takes an immense amount for courage to realize that you and those with you are going to die – and then decide to do something about it.


Heroes for Today

Heroes seem to be in short supply these days – but I think that the passengers and crew of United 93 can be considered heroes. It takes courage to do something about a very difficult situation, and it takes great skill to work together w/ a group of strangers – when you life is being threatened. The passengers and crew of United 93 demonstrated extreme courage under extreme pressure- and every American can be both proud and grateful that this group of people had the strength of character to look evil straight into the eye and fight.

A small group of passengers and flight attendants teamed together in an attempt to alter the destructive course of the hijacked airplane. Although everyone on United 93 met a fiery death – plowing nose first into the ground – their actions set an example of courage for every American who enjoys the freedoms and liberties available in our nation.

In United 93, Filmmaker Paul Greengrass provides each of us a very clear and poignant record of what happened, and because he did such a good job – we can better understand the sacrifice that was made on that day and why it is so important for each of us to work together to hopefully prevent another tragedy like this.

This movie is a cinematic record, very well executed, reminding each of us that freedom is not free – and it sometimes requires incredible sacrifice to maintain (after seeing this movie it was not difficult for me to connect the sacrifices made by the passengers and crew, to the incredible sacrifice that God made when he sent His Son to suffer in our place – so that all of us who are a part of the human race, can have true freedom, both in this life – and in the one to come).

— Overview