United Flight 93 the movie

United Flight 93

Saw a brilliant movie, United Flight 93. It was about the plane that had been hijacked on September 11, 2001, that was over powered by the passengers and was diverted, so that it did not reach its intended destination, The White House, in Washington DC.

The movie shot with a hand held camera, was directed by British director Paul Greengrass.

What was powerful about this movie, was that it did not have an ideology or a point to prove. It showed the reality that was taking place on that day and how ordinary people reacted.

It showed the air traffic control tower staff in Boston and New York, starting the day early in the morning, and then with the rising tension and stressful situation, how they reacted, with some taking decisive action.

The military personnel, at a base in Virginia, how once they were alerted to the situation, the decisions they had to make. They were not authorized to make a crucial decision, about shooting down the commercial liner, without the consent of the President or Vice President, both of whom could not be located to grant the permission. Even once they were granted the permission, the message was not conveyed, to prevent accidental death of innocents.

The movie began with the hijackers, preparing themselves for the attack. Mostly through prayer. It is so sad that Islam was manipulated by these misguided men, and used (as a defence of their faith) to kill innocent people on Sept 11, 2001. All four of the men were shown as hurtling between terror, fear, dread and rage.
The passengers, pilots and air hostesses were the heroes of this movie. Their bravery and courage under fire was what diverted the plane. They knew no one was coming to their assistance, they had to do what they could for themselves and they did, without regard for their own lives.

Seeing this movie 20 blocks from where this reality struck was symbolic, along with the open weeping of the woman sitting next to us. This tragedy happened and we need to watch this movie to come to terms with that reality.