Synopsis

United 93, recreates the story of the passengers, crew and the flight controllers who watched in dawning horror as United Airlines Flight 93 became the fourth hijacked plane on the day of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil: September the 11th 2001. The film explores the events of this day by telling the story of a single flight and the ordinary, random sampling of flight crew, businessmen, wives, grandparents, students and others bound for San Francisco aboard a Boeing 757. In the course of the just over 90 minutes that the plane was aloft, the world below entered a new, violent age, viewed through a fog that slowly dissipated to reveal that America herself was under attack. It tells of the ultimate sacrifice passengers made for their families and homeland.

What The Critics Say

"United 93 is not the first dramatisation of this doomed fourth flight on September 11, 2001. There are two previous doco-dramas that have aired on cable tv, but this is the first fully dramatised film - and more importantly in my view, the first made by non-Americans. .. superbly represented and the decision not to use well known faces is the right one." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE "At no point during United 93 does it feel like you're watching a movie. It feels like you're there. And, yes, this is is a truly terrible, sickening feeling. The film is as raw as an exposed nerve, which is exactly how it should be." Sean Burns PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY "It plays out in such a shockingly authentic way that we feel like we're right there. And what makes this film vitally important is the way it challenges us to examine ourselves without ever making a big statement." Rich Cline SHADOWS ON THE WALL "It's an intensely sobering experience and you'll have to decide for yourself if you're ready to re-live those moments." Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone THEMOVIECHICKS.COM "Everyone who goes to see this film will know the outcome of the drama, so there's a real feeling of dread as we watch these doomed people board a plane which will never reach its destination. The filmmakers see "United 93" as a tribute to the passengers and crew who died that day, and it's undoubtedly a powerful cinema experience. 4 STARS." David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES

"It's amazing. I reacted against going to see this because I knew it was going to be a very troubling experience. And it is. It's tragic. And it's tragic not just for the people on board, but this is a film that reminds us of the day that changed the world for the rest of us who survived. And, you know, I mean, it's such a mess we're in today. So, I just found it...a really, really emotional experience. 4 STARS." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "While there are many stories to be told that we haven't heard yet, there will never be a better film made about 9/11 than Paul Greengrass' United 93." Erik Childress EFILMCRITICCOM "Greengrass has made not only a thoroughly fact-checked film but a film that uncontrovertibly comes from the heart." Kirk Honeycutt HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "When I compile my Top 10 list of films for 2006, United 93 will be on it, and almost certainly close to the top." James Berardinelli REELVIEWS "Greengrass avoids exploiting the victims by showing their desperation. The simple blackout which ends the film, rather than showing the actual plane crash, is a dramatic and perfectly apt ending. This is fine filmmaking, showing the medium's ability to provide a window into true-life events." Des Partridge COURIER MAIL

The Inside Story I must admit that I was really looking forward to seeing "United 93". Not for any morbid reason or for some fetish involving disasters, but mainly because I had great admiration for those onboard the Boeing 757 who made that ultimate sacrife for the greater good. I also wanted to see if Paul Greengrass could make a true to spirit film that wasn't an exploitation in any way. I am pleased to inform readers that this is an excellent piece of storytelling, even if some of it is supposition. "One of the reasons why "United 93" exerts such a powerful hold on our imaginations is precisely because we don’t know exactly what happened. Who among us doesn’t think about that day and wonder how it must have been and how we might have reacted?", asks the films director and writer Paul Greengrass. It's nearly five years since that disastrous day when the free world stood still and watched in horror, television images of two hijacked aircraft slamming into the World Trade Centres Twin Towers. What we didn't see was the drama being played out onboard another flight, "United 93" which had been hijacked and was in the control of terrorists who planned to use the plane as a flying bomb as their fellow terrorists had with the Twin Towers in New York and The Pentagon in Washington DC. So what made it the right time to make and release a film based on the events surrounding the crash of "United 93" on that fateful day? According to Greengrass the right time is when the families say, "Yes. There are all sorts of films made. We make films to divert us, to entertain us and to make us laugh, to take us to fantasy worlds and to make us understand love. But also, there’s a place for films that explore the way the world is. And Hollywood has a long and honorable track record of making those types of films as well." While many may not agree with his assessment of Hollywoods ability to produce honourable films about human disaster, cinemagoers can rest assured Greengrass hasn't fallen into any traps. His film is a monumental memorial to those fourty crew and passengers aboard the flight. "Forty ordinary people had 30 minutes to confront the reality of the way that we’re living now, decide on the best course of action and act. They were the first people to inhabit the post 9/11 world—at a time when the rest of us were watching television dumbstruck, unable to understand what was going on," he explained. "At that moment, those people onboard that airplane knew very well—they could see exactly what they were dealing with—and were faced with a dreadful choice. Do we sit here and do nothing and hope for the best, hope it turns out all right? Or do we do something about it? And if so, what can we do?" Greengrass's answer to his question is not profound in any way. It is simplistic and factual. "It seems to me that those are the two choices that face us today and have faced us ever since that day. When you look at what happened on that airplane, you can see that there was a debate, an anguished debate in the most terrible of circumstances. That group of people weighed those choices, made a decision and acted upon it. And I think that if we look at what happened, we find a story of immense courage and fortitude," he says adding, "those people were very, very brave. But we also find wisdom." So what is the basis for the story of "United 93"? "What it does do is pick up 44 individuals as they congregate at the airport for a plane journey, follow them as they enter the plane, and take their 90-minute journey in real time, cutting away only to the various air traffic control centers that follow their progress, on whose screens the entire horror of the full 9/11 operation is played out," says Greengrass. And he did his research! He also took his proposal to the families and relatives of those who died when the plane crashed. In fact seven weeks of face to face interviews were conducted with the families and friends in which more than 100 interviews were conducted in all. Kate Solomon who acted as researcher and family liaison recalls, "They wished to be involved, to honor and remember their loved ones. It’s still a painful subject, but many felt that their involvement would help us get it right." Greengrass had a special way of handling everything including the auditions for the film. "The audition process was very mysterious, they just said that it was about United 93, that was it," says David Rasche who plays UA 93 passenger Donald Freeman Greene. "It was really interesting to see people going through various stages of hysteria or however they reacted to the situation. Then they said, 'Thank you'. That was it." Of the entire audition and filming process, Rasche adds, "Paul has more courage about diving into the complete unknown than I’ve ever been involved with. The most difficult thing for me was the convergence of realities, the reality of what Paul thinks happened, then what I think happened. But the truth is no one knows for sure. It was a challenge and a fascinating work experience." As with the casting, Greengrass was methodical in building his film. "What we did on this film was to gather together an extraordinary array of people wanting to get this film right: aircrew from United Airlines; pilots; the families of the people who were onboard, who gave us their sense of what their family member might have done given the type of person he or she was in any given situation; controllers and members of the military; the 9/11 Commission. We had a lot of expertise that, in the end, allows you to get a good sense of the general shape of events." That is evident from watching the finished product. It's a poignant, respectful film that is extremely well done. Family Thoughts "I’m glad it’s being made because it’s the fifth year anniversary of it, and I would hate to see those 40 individuals forgotten. What if roles were reversed? I’ve done that, I’ve said, 'Well, what if I was on Flight 93, and my brother was here today?' And that’s why I’m involved. I think he would have the loudest voice. He would say, 'These individuals need to be honored, cherished and remembered. And I’m going do my part to see that they are, and they’re given the credit that they’re due, not only for who they were, but what they did that day." Kenny Nacke, brother of UA 93 passenger Louis J Nacke II.
"There are lots of things in life that are difficult to do, and we do them because they’re the right thing to do. This is one of those situations. I got involved in this because it was the right thing to do. I can’t deny its existence. I don’t know that it’s going to be any different for me a year from now, two years from now, it’s happened, we deal with it. So I’d rather give you the story, and I’d rather remember the man that he was and be able to keep him alive for myself that way." Sandy Felt, wife of UA 93 passenger Edward P Felt.
"It’s never going to be over for us families who’ve lost loved ones. It’s never going to be over for the country, anyone who witnessed it on TV. It’s always going to be touchy, awkward and something that a part of us don’t want to see again. But I feel the more films, the better. We can’t forget. We have to remember what happened, why it happened. And we can’t fool ourselves into thinking that it won’t happen again if we forget about it." Allison Vadhan, daughter of UA 93 passenger Kristin White Gould A Fitting Memorial On September 24, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to "commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives, thereby thwarting a planned attack on our Nation’s Capital.” The memorial will be developed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. When completed, Flight 93 National Memorial will encompass 2,200 acres, almost 1,300 acres of which will be dedicated to the design features, and 900 acres will be protected through partnerships with local residents and groups. The Flight 93 National Memorial project is making history as the first national park designed entirely through an open, public competition. The yearlong, international competition received more than 1,000 submissions created by professionals and members of the general public. The National Park Service is the steward of the Flight 93 National Memorial. On September 7th 2005, the final design selection for the Flight 93 National Memorial was announced. It was created by Paul Murdoch Architects, a Los Angeles-based firm.
The Verdict "Pual Greengrass's film "United 93" is one that every cinemagoer should see and none more so than Australians. So far we have been spared even a major aircraft disaster on our homesoil let alone a terrorist attack. "United 93" is a timely reminded that we should be ever vigilant and that some of us may have to, as was the case with the fourty crew and passengers onboard the Boeing 757, be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our fellow countrymen. "United 93" is a film many may shyaway from but believe me, the experience is food for the soul. It will leave you full of admiration for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. A memorable and moving film that deserves to be seen. Very recommended. 4 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "UNITED 93" stars .......
Christian Clemenson ["The Fisher King", "Apollo 13" and "Armageddon"]; Trish Gates ["The Last Kennedy"]; Cheyenne Jackson ["Curiosity"]; David Alan Basche ["Full Frontal", "War of the Worlds" and "Shut Up And Sing"], Gregg Henry ["Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever", "Silent Partner" and "Slither"] and Patrick St Esprit ["Black Dawn", "Face Value", "We Were Soldiers" and "Must Love Dogs"] as Major Kevin Nasypany.
"UNITED 93" was .......
directed by Paul Greengrass ["Resurrected", "The Fix", "Bloody Sunday" and "The Bourne Supremacy"]; screenplay by Paul Greengrass ["Bloody Sunday" and "Omagh"]; production design by Dominic Watkins ["Wicked", "Bad Boys II" and "The Bourne Supremacy"]; cinematography by Barry Ackroyd ["Very Annie Mary", "Ae Fond Kiss" and "The Wind That Shakes the Barley"]; original music by John Powell ["The Italian Job", "The Bourne Supremacy", "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "X-Men: The Last Stand"] produced by Tim Bevan [" Love Actually", "Shaun of the Dead", "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason", "The Interpreter" and "Pride & Prejudice"], Eric Fellner ["Bridget Jones's Diary", "Ned Kelly", "Johnny English", "Gettin' Square" and "Wimbledon"] and Lloyd Levin ["Field Of Dreams", "Die Hard 2", "Boogie Nights", "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 1 & 2" and "Hellboy"]. Run Time 110 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Universal Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved