MovieREVIEW
Flight 93
Directed by Peter Markle
PG-13, 90 min., 2006 made for TV movie, now on DVD
I’m the kind of person who likes to listen to music when I write, so I found something audible that fits perfectly for this review: Jefferson Airplane’s “Miracles.”
In two words, “Flight 93” (not to be confused with the film “United 93”) is a tearjerker. But is this what the director intended it to be? Umm, yes! I admit, I even got a little teary eyed when the film showed actual footage of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers — it was a horrific moment in all our lives, and personally, I haven’t seen the actual footage since 2001.
Arguably, the director is setting the scene for the events that took place on United Flight 93, but in doing so, all those repressed, subconscious or even forgotten emotions we all had during that era don’t even creep or sneak back into our heads. Then boom! — they’re back in full force.
The movie’s formula consists of two parts: (1) people on the plane making phone calls to loved ones and (2) people not on the plane answering phone calls from loved ones. There are also a few reactionary scenes thrown in from FAA headquarters and a White House bunker, which gives a supposed peek into how the authorities were tracking the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
The buildup to the point where the passengers overthrow the hijackers is a bit lengthy, but when they finally grab the flight attendant’s pushcart and ram through the cockpit door, I couldn’t help but cheer them on.
A good question is, “Why was this movie made?” It could very well be that someone felt the heroic tale of the Flight 93 passengers needed to be told. My skeptical side tends to examine a possible re-invigoration effort aimed at reclaiming the faded anger and heartache from that day. I believe “Flight 93” is the first of many more 9/11 feature films to come during our lifetime.
Somewhere, Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay are probably discussing another September 11th film right now. As for a conspiratorial view of “Flight 93,” I suggest checking out the film “Loose Change.”
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