There has been so much commotion about the upcoming film, United 93. The family members of the deceased have given the filmmakers their consent, yet some people say it’s too soon. Frankly, I can’t say I’m entirely opposed to the film.
Sure, it’s true that when I see the Twin Towers in the background of movies made before the attacks I get a weird feeling in my stomach.But 9/11 is a reality, one we face every day, and one we will deal with for the rest of our lives. Nevertheless, the arguments that it is too soon to make such a film are, in my opinion, irrelevant. When will we know when the time is right? Should a movie be made when this generation has died, so it won’t hurt as much? What about Holocaust movies and the countless others that have been based on atrocities committed in the past?
I personally have not been able to watch documentaries about the events on 9/11 because they hit too close to home for me. Nevertheless, that has been MY choice—these documentaries have been available for anyone with or without cable to watch, and whether they’ve chosen to watch them or not is their business, and I believe that’s what it comes down to with regards to the film; watch it if you dare, and if you don’t agree with it ... don’t watch it!
And for those who say it’s wrong to make money off something like this, all I can say is: If Greengrass and his crew don’t make money on it now, eventually someone else will—it’s inevitable.
Ivan Pereira @ Wed, 04/05/2006 - 11:05am
For me the big problem about 9/11 movies is not only the fact that the tragedy is so recent, but because it is unresolved. We know who brought down the planes, but they are still on the loose. Even though it is evident that Sadham and his governement were not directly involved with the attacks, 9/11 occasionally pops into my head whenever I see news footage of the Iraq war, becuase it was indirefctly caused by it.
A similar thing happened with John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the only good film to come out of that was Oliver Stone's JFK. It worked well becuase it focused on the aftermath and invisetigation of the assassination, which not too many people know about. At this stage of history, it would be best if future filmakers make their fictional 9/11 movies in this fashion as it is something that all can learn from without being too upset.