United 93
Paul Greengrass uses handheld camera work in a lot of his films. In the Bourne movies, it creates a sense of confusion and action that heightens the feelings of Jason Bourne himself. Here, it creates those same feelings, but more in the sense of a POV shot. Greengrass puts you in the room with air traffic control, military personnel, and the passengers of United 93 and lets you feel as though you're a part of the action. It's chaotic and confusing, just as it was on the day of the terrorist attack.
Moments of silence punctuate each attack to let you sit in the discomfort of the moment. I got goosebumps each time, waiting for the shoe to drop. It's told in real time, so you experience it right alongside everyone else.
There's no political agenda. No sweeping declarations of patriotism or reactionary dialogue that other movies of the era felt compelled to do. Just a straightforward telling of the events of the passengers who fought back and the flight that never made it to the Capitol.
The traffic controllers and military personnel playing themselves are not trained actors, and it shows. But this isn't really about them. They are there to add authenticity around how things are done behind the scenes, and for that they do fine.
This was bold for 2006. The attack was 5 years old and they had obviously filmed probably between 2004-2005, so it was still very fresh in people's minds. But it is a well crafted movie, one that made me very emotional. The victims of 9/11 deserve to have their stories told.