United 93

There were two ways this could have been filmed. Either as a hyper-pathetic monstrosity perceiving every Arab as a terrorist and every American as a patriot willing to die for his country... or the way in which it was filmed. Paul Greengrass doesn't dwell on any motives that led the terrorists to act, but rather portrays them only as people who are pursuing their goal with confidence, and instead views the passengers as a group of people who, in an extreme situation, were able to perform a single radically desperate act of defiance. It all happens in real-time, which is then transferred from the control room to the plane and captures the immediate action through a handheld camera, all without getting involved in creating psychology, relationships, or quick links. This makes the entire film feel much more believable and raw, and the final 10 minutes will forever go down in film history! For those who can sympathize with the plight of ordinary people, this film is the ultimate celebration of civilian heroism. Those looking for theories, politics, and social criticism should wait for Oliver Stone's World Trade Center. (13/06/2006)

During the film I was convinced of a final four-star rating (the confusion in the control centre was wonderfully directed, but wasn’t that much fun), but the last half hour is something so incredibly and brilliantly impressive that I’m giving it five stars without any remorse. I’ve never seen a stronger “historical” film. 93% (27/12/2008)

The unreservedly enthusiastic foreign responses did not lie. In the beginning, Greengrass brilliantly gives the viewer a glimpse into the 9/11 shock and awe of what's going on in the flight centers (I guarantee that although you've seen the second plane crash into one of the Twin Towers at least a hundred times, Greengrass's rendition of the visually haunting footage will give you the chills again). The last 40 minutes, starting with the hijacking of the plane, is an incredible emotional ride, at the end of which, in the scene where the passengers break into the cockpit, I had a heart rate of about 220 and was picking my dropped jaw up off the floor; this despite knowing how it all turns out. Brilliant! And if you're worried about the pathos, with shots full of stars and blue-red stripes, you fear is unwarranted, Greengrass is just too good for that. PS: Given the incredible courage shown by some of the passengers, which the film captures so powerfully, I believe their survivors could not have asked for a better cinematic epitaph. (04/06/2006)

In a way, it is a second Schindler's List. It is equally artistically precise, with thematic weight added. These two aspects together form a unique work that certainly deserves nothing less than full appreciation. Paul Greengrass is able to create incredible authenticity with a smart use of handheld camera, aided by excellently chosen (completely unknown) actors. The tension escalates, the situation intensifies, and the viewer is left astounded in a truly unprecedented way. One of the most suggestive, rawest, and definitely best films of the year, which won't win an Oscar simply because it feels too unlike a movie throughout its entire running time. (22/06/2006)

I finished watching the movie 10 minutes ago... My forehead is still furrowed, my head is still spinning, and my heart won't stop pounding. No movie has really cost me that much in nerves. The atmosphere on the plane and on the ground was perfectly captured beyond measure. Plenty of confusion, emotion, and suspense. I know one thing for sure... this movie is unbeatable! It's like the situation hit me all over again. (25/06/2011)