Customer Reviews

Flight 93: The Movie

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This fine A&E reenactment of one slice of the confusing events of September 11, 2001 succeeds in showing the combination of ad hoc citizen response and highly professional management that greeted the high-speed unfolding of those incomprehensible events.

The grippingly eerie music of the soundtrack frames the portraits of normalcy that open the film. Early on, we are shown the names of many of Flight 93's passengers when the camera focuses on the processing of their boarding passes by a Newark flight agent. From then on, we see them as real people who find themselves the protagonists of a seemingly unreal attack.

When it becomes clear that Flight 93 is 'obviously not planning on landing', the passengers - with the encouragement or acquiescence of grieving family on the ground - do what they have to do to 'regain control of the plane'.

Flight 93 suggests the possibility that orders were given - or would soon have been given - to take the flight down as it made its erratic way towards Washington. This reviewer - a frequent flyer - applauds discussion of this possibility and believes such action should be taken in the event we again find ourselves in this predicament.

Flight 93 is not an easy film to watch. Yet it is salutary to do so, for a moment to imagine the terror experienced by civilians caught in a war in the airspace above a peaceful land, to see that evil *and* fear coexist in the eyes of the people who do such things, and to remember that sometimes the most dire of circumstances squeeze heroism to the surface of quite ordinary lives.

"Flight 93" is a riveting, powerful television film that recreates the events of that tragic September morning, as forty brave passengers banned together to re-take their hijacked plane from terrorists who are hell-bent on crashing it into either the White House or the Capitol Building. Outstanding performances, breathtaking visual effects, and exceptional storytelling fuel the film's powerful presentation of the price that was paid on 9/11. I highly recommend it!
Movie/DVD Grade: A

On a bright September morning in 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked by Arab terrorists. Three of them were deliberately crashed into buildings; two into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. The fourth airliner, United Airlines flight 93, was also scheduled to be flown into a building, possibly the White House or the Capitol building, but the heroic passengers aboard this flight fought back against the terrorists. Despite knowing that they were all going to die, these brave people banded together and managed to thwart the efforts of the terrorists.

The movie is shown through the eyes of the passengers of flight 93. Their flight begins normally, but once airborne, four Arab terrorists, who claim to have a bomb, succeed in breaking into the cockpit and taking control of the aircraft. The plane, originally bound for San Francisco, is turned around and is now heading east. The terrorists, armed whitn box cutters, have already killed one of the passengers and wounded several others. Some of the passengers, including Tom Burnett (Jeffrey Nordling) have begun making cell phone calls to their loved ones. It is during one of these that Burnett learns from his wife that the World Trade Center has been struck. Tom deduces that his plane is also intended to be used as a suicide plane to be flown into another building.

Some of the other passengers, including Mark Bingham (Ty Olsson), Todd Beamer (Brennan Elliott), and Jeremy Glick (Colin Glazer) develop a plan to charge the cockpit and overthrow the terrorists. In the meantime, Todd Beamer has called the Verizon center. The call is answered by Lisa Jefferson (Monnae Michaell). The conversation that transpires between the two strangers is both poignant and frightening, as Lisa is able to hear everything that is happening on the plane. Todd finally asks Lisa to recite the Lord's Prayer with him. Afterward, Todd utters the words that have become so famous to many; "Let's Roll".

Despite their heroic efforts, flight 93 crashed in a rural area in Pennsylvania, just 20 minutes away from the nation's capitol. The actions of these valiant passengers likely prevented the plane from reaching its intended target, widely thought to be the White House or the Capitol Building.

This excellent movie is a fitting tribute to those heroic passengers aboard flight 93. The acting is very good, and the story is retold with complete historical accuracy. Ty Olsson, Brennan Elliott, Colin Glazer, Jeffrey Nordling, Laura Mennell (Elizabeth Wainio), and April Telek (Lyz Glick) all give powerful and moving performances as the passengers and loved ones of flight 93. Also included in the film are actual communications between the passengers and their loved ones on the ground.

I highly recommend this heartbreaking and true story. Despite the numerous casualties suffered during the attacks of September 11, 2001, the toll would have undoubtedly been much higher if not for the efforts of these brave and unselfish people. This movie serves as a glowing tribute to those aboard the plane and their loved ones. Their selfless sacrifice will never be forgotten.

I watched this film for the first time today. I'm going to be honest here. I have never cried so much in my life. It broke my heart seeing what these people actually went through (or pretty close to it). The phone calls home were almost unbearable to watch. I should have used tissue paper to wipe my tears because my shirt was practically soaked afterwards. Every year that goes by after 9/11 it seems that people get more and more desensitized. I agree that we must move on, but it saddens me that conspiracy videos about 9/11 have now been made and when I talk about 9/11 to my friends they act like it wasn't even a big deal. That devastates me. It is imperative that every American watches this movie to remind yourself of what happened on that horrific day 5 years ago, and to feel for the victims and their families that they left behind.

I rented this movie by mistake thinking it was United 93 and I'm glad I did. This is a totally different movie experience nobody should miss. It seemed more like a documentry that took place exactly as it was happening. This is not your typical hollywood film that gets mixed up with well known actors/actress and special effects. About halfway through the movie, I had to sit down on the floor to watch, wanting to bit my finger nails. The movie Godsend w/Robert De Niro gave a creppy experience that I can't describe. This movie gives an experience much similar but in a different way. It really made me feel every emotion the passengers felt. Did I mention how realistic this movie was!?!? A++++++++HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! RENT IT TODAY!!!!!!!

This is probably one of the best video releases of the year. The director is careful not to glamorize or sensationalize the events. Some may wonder if it is too early to depict so recent an event that is so deeply burned into the American consciousness. The answer is, "No, the timing is perfect." This film is much more than entertainment. It is healing and should be seen by every American.

This seems to be the year of the 911 tribute films, and this made for A & E movie does a good job of telling the tragic and heroic story of United Airlines Flight 93 from the perspective of the fated passengers. The movie begins with scenes of passengers bidding fond farewells to their loved ones as they leave for the Newark Airport. Then the film shows each passenger's boarding ticket up close as they hand it over to the keeper of the flight gate.

The film then shows how the hijackers went one at a time to the airplane restrooms to prepare for their attack on the flight attendants.

They start by taking over first class, then they eventually move the passengers to the back of the plane. You get inside the huddle as passengers debate hpw they are going to take over the plane. You get to see the poignant phone calls that frightened passengers make to their tearful loved ones. Then you get to see the passengers carry out their heroic effort to reclaim control of the plane.

The movie lacks the spectacular graphics and the presence of top shelf actors and actresses that one might expect of a higher budget film. But everyone does a wonderful job, and I was especially impressed with the actress who played the Verizon operator who spoke with Todd Beamer. It was especially touching to see them pray the Lord's Prayer together.

This film may not win any awards, but it is an important documentary of the 4th hijacked place, and it is a fitting tribute to the passengers and flight crew of United Flight 93.

I am so glad they chose unknown actors (who were very, very good, incidentally). Hopefully, they will have good careers in the future. Writers, director and producers did an incredible job of piecing together the taped phone conversations and interviews with family members, forming a riveting portrayal of the courageous crew and passengers who decided to take matters into their own hands. They knew they were going to die anyway, so they refused to let the hi-jackers reach their intended target, which was probably the White House. I was particularly touched by the passenger who asked his support person on the other end of the line to pray the Lord's Prayer with him. Wish I could give it more than five stars.

Personally I give this movie 5 stars.

I hate to use this space to comment on another review, but I see no other way, and I MUST comment to the person who wrote the "Pure Government Propaganda" review.

What do you mean, These events never happened? And that OUR GOVERNMENT took down Flight 93- and here's the biggest kicker of all...You blame Bush!!! AMAZING!- I say hate Bush all you want, but point the finger where it belongs: Right at the filthy terrorists!
Oh, and also there are recordings of those "non-calls" from the plane, too.

This is a great movie,
If you want to see a recent part of American History, and witness the bravery of the Americans that were so horribly forced to fight for thier lives, Watch this movie.
The acting is excellent, and the entire drama is very well directed.

It will make you cry, feel SO deeply for the victims, and be VERY proud to be an American.I remember hearing the recordings of some of the actual phone calls shortly after the tradgedy, but to see it played out is something entirely different.It brought home the fact once again that yes, these heroes WERE someone's Son, Husband, Brother, Uncle, and Father.

It is a tear jerker, that really makes you feel, think, and remember.
Highly reccomended.

The television movie "Flight 93" made it on to the air before "United 93" was released in theaters, but I never thought of there as being a competition between the two. Large historical events lend themselves to more than one telling and with these too films and "World Trade Center" we are only beginning to see dramatizations of September 11th. It is not surprising that the first couple of films would be about this particular flight, because it was the first instance of fighting back on what is now being called the War on Terrorism, but which may well end up being something even larger in history's eyes.

Because the drama is happening aboard the plane and in the homes of those in touch with their loved ones by cell phone, "Flight 93" works on the intimacy of the small screen. Peter Markle ("Faith of My Fathers") and screenwriter Nevin Schreiner are limited by what little is publicly known about what happened on that flight. Consequently, there is no attempt to fill in the gaps and smooth out the rough spots in the narrative. When the passengers get together and talk about what should be done is the parts of the story that fascinates me the most, and there is relatively little of that in the film, but that is because there are only bits and pieces of it in the record of those events. That is why there is so little about the four hijackers as well, because with few exceptions what they said in the cockpit is not known.

The cast is comprised almost exclusively of unfamiliar faces to my eye, with Jeffrey Nordling (from "Once and Again") the only one I immediately recognized. Not these are all new faces, but that they are mostly ones that we have seen in minor roles in dozens of different television shows. Of course this helps reinforce the idea that these were ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Actually, the ones that impressed me most in this telling of that day were the family members, who were urging those on the plane to take action, supporting their decision, and simply offering words of comfort. This is the side of the story that is somewhat new, the rest having received considerably more coverage, and these scenes have power because we find ourselves imagining, perhaps for the first time, being in their position.

Once the plane goes down this 2006 made for television movie loses its bearings a bit. There is an inane comment by some suit investigating the crash and they suddenly turn up the music on the soundtrack. Then there is the passage of the seasons, which I was expecting to end with the memorial to the passengers and crew of United 93, but that becomes the purpose of the final scroll before the end credits. This underscores that of the four hijacked planes on 9/11, this was the one that did not hit its target, which is presumed to be either the White House or the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., and then we see the names of everybody on board. However, these failings at the end are slight and do not detract from how riveting this film is, especially without the commercial interruptions.

At the end of this film when they talk about the intended target of United 93 I found myself thinking that American Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon, was probably supposed to hit either the White House or the Capitol, with United 93 hitting the other. Given all of the care the terrorist took in targeting the World Center, with the goal of bringing down the towers, hitting one side of the Pentagon is nowhere close to the same level. So I am inclined to think that the terrorists on Flight 77 missed their target. This might seem a small thing, but it would mean that when the people on Flight 93 made the terrorists crash the plane well short of Washington, D.C., they ended up missing half of their intended targets.