These are the hijackers of United flight 93 on September 11, 2001.(I have removed the pictures because they are too horrible look at each time I open my blog.) I vowed never to watch any of the movies or dramatizations of 9/11 but yesterday I broke that vow and watched the movie UNITED 93. I don't remember who told me to watch it saying it would not be what I expected but they were right and now I'm glad.
It was my expectation that the movie would get us all deeply, emotionally attached to the characters on the plane. We knew they were going to die and therefore the melodrama would be more than I could take. Actually the movie was about the air traffic controllers and the military scramble and other events swirling around all the confusion and flight activity of that day.
We know a lot about the heroic passengers on the flight because many of them were relaying events as they occurred to their airlines, their friends and their family members by phone. There is no doubt that these passengers caused the hijackers to fail in their mission and by their own sacrifice averted an even greater tragedy that day.
Everyone should watch this movie at least once. It keeps us mindful of the events of that day "lest we forget". Everyone should also go to google images and search the pictures of all the 9/11 hijackers as well at the picture of the shoe bomber and the panty bomber and ask again why we are searching old women and children at the airports.
Having lived in NYC before that day, believe me, I'll never forget. It's still unnerving flying in when I visit - I keep trying to reconstruct part of the skyline in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feeling about the PC in searching. In the middle east womand and children do carry bombs...so there is no doubt in my mind that they need to check everyone. But I do agree that they are doing overkill with this.
ReplyDeleteI'm not likely to forget, and I don't rent movies often, but I might watch that one - on your say-so.
ReplyDeleteWhere are the proceeds of this moving going? Whether or not I spend my money on it depend on whose pockets are being lined. I don't care for the exploitation of tragedies for money.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us who watched this event unfold it will always be a painful memory. For my grandchildren and great-grandchildren it will be just another page in history. For example, the bombing of Pearl Harbor used to be a front page item on the anniversary, now it may make a back page. How soon we forget.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty -- Don't you find it frustrating that many already treat it like any other day?
ReplyDeleteTabor -- I really believe in these instances PC has gone way overboard.
Kenju -- Read a few more reviews besides mine before you watch it,but I think you would find it very interesting.
Quilldancer -- I'm with you on that. One of the reasons I didn't want to watch. However a percentage of the proceeds went to the Flight 93 Memorial Fund.
Stella -- It amazes me how quickly we had embraced each other throughout this country after 9/11 only to return to political division and bickering in only a few years.
I complained about being searched so thoroughly at the check point on my last flight until my daughter pointed out that someone could have slipped a bomb on me when I wasn't looking. I guess we all have to endure being searched no matter what our age in order to be safe.
ReplyDeleteDarlene -- We should all submit to the searches just so ALL are being checked, especially young dark complexion males. When they skip one he ends up on a plane with a bomb in his pants after even being on a watch list!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen this movie for many of the reasons you cited. Come to think of it, I get the feeling I've been gut-punched when I see the World Trade Center Towers in movies. Even today, it isn't easy for me to think of 9/11
ReplyDeletewithout becoming very angry. I think I need some more time, but thanks for the movie review.
cube -- yep, I understand that.
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
ReplyDeleteI live only 150 miles or so from Shanksville so we visited the site a few years ago.
It was so sad to look at that field and realize what had happened there, but how much worse would it have been if that plane had been allowed to fly on to Washington and wipe out the Capitol or The White House.
I flew to Florida recently and they searched me very thoroughly and I was happy they did because I did feel a bit safer on the flight after that. But, I completely agree with you, they should search everyone with the same diligence they used as they looked an old lady like me over.
Last year they took a pair of manicure scissors from me. I wondered then if they thought an 80 year old lady could bring down an Air Bus 320 with manicure scissors... Just askin'
I actually travel quite a bit and still find it slightly uncomfortable when my 15 year old daughter has been checked and searched nearly everytime we go through security. I mean it happens to me everytime because I look like a bit of a thug so that's ok but It seems inappropriate for my daughter to have anyone running their hands over her checking for guns or drugs.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of renting this movie for the same reasons you thought you wouldn't like it (too depressing), but yes, it would be a good reminder of what could've been and what these heroes on board did to prevent a greater tragedy.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, they are searching women and old people so that they can be politically correct... Those people on the plane were very courageous...
ReplyDeleteNancy -- It seems to me that most people boarding an airplane would want to cooperate with security. Peraps we should form two lines. One line would be for people who volunteer to be searched. The other line for people who refuse to be searched. Then take all those who refuse and search them:)
ReplyDeleteJoe -- Ron's daughter is a gorgeous young woman. She has yet to get through security without a thorough search. You can't convince me they think she is a terrorist. I think they are just dirty old men.
Ily -- It is especially a reminder of the confusion of the day. Not just the confusion we felt as we watched the events unfold, but the confusion felt by persons who should have been able to help but were powerless.
Lucy -- The passengers were indeed heros.
Going to rent it, thanks.
ReplyDelete9/11 will always be in my mind, but like you, I didn't want to watch any movies about it. Mostly because I didn't think anyone should make any money from the tragesdy. I have always respected your opinions, so I will probably watch this movie also.
ReplyDelete