United 93 - Review

This is one of, if not the most intense film I have ever seen in my entire life. I know I say that many films have intense endings or how some certain action scenes are intense, this whole movie was intense. From start to finish. This is up there with Mad Max Fury Road on the basis of how fast your heart pumps while viewing it. Unlike Mad Max, though, this is based on a true story. Now, did everything that happened on the plane in the film really happen? Nobody will ever know, but that's what is so scary about it. Now, I was only 6 years old when America was attacked by terrorists on that day and I don't even remember how I became aware that such attacks even took place. However, I couldn't sit down while watching this movie. During the last 20 minutes, I was pacing around my room watching the screen. That NEVER happens. If a movie literally cannot contain me to a couch or chair, then it's doing something right. As for the film itself, I feel like Paul Greengrass was the perfect choice to make this film. His expertise of the "shaky-cam" and his wonderful techniques of shooting scenes where government and aircraft officials are all on phones and intercoms in boardrooms all really push the movie forward. Also, there are no real recognizable stars in this film, at least any with big names. This really pushed the message that these people, were just people. Not action heroes or movie stars, regular people like you and me. They were the ones to stand up and try to make a difference. If you had cast a Leonardo DiCaprio or someone with a big movie star persona, sure it would have worked but it would come across as way more Hollywood and less gritty and real. Overall, this is a must watch! Now, I don't know what it felt like to witness 9/11 first hand or even witness it on television as it was happening so I will not know how people will react to this film. After hearing war vets left Saving Private Ryan, I can only imagine people, especially New Yorkers, watching this film after having the vivid memory of the real event. With that being said, this film was extraordinary!