amazing film: united 93

i was one of the lucky few who got to see the film united 93 at the tribeca film festival opening night.

shot in real time with a largely unknown cast, director paul greengrass (bloody sunday, bourne supremacy) has created a documentary style fictionalized account of the fateful 4th plane in which passengers tried to reclaim their hijacked aircraft that was heading towards the white house on 9/11.

tense, scary and completely visceral, united 93 strips away the sentimentality and creates a very incredible experience in which the viewer sees a larger picture of the events that happened on that day.

based on interviews and the 9/11 commissioner report, the film tracks the initial laissez faire of the ground control, to the lack of military access, to panic and just plain confusion when these people realize that they are at war. this 1st half of the movie casts a surmounting sense of dread over the final act of jihad that eventually plays out united 93.

when it finally does happen, the whole movie shifts into the plane.

i don't want to hype this film too much. i went in not knowing what to expect and though the experience is incredibly heartbreaking, i left the theater gladly speechless.

go see this (i know you won't want to) but go.