United 93 (2006)
Average Rating: 8.2/10
Reviews Counted: 202
Fresh: 183 | Rotten: 19
Potent and sobering, United 93 is even more gut-wrenching because the outcome is already known. While difficult to watch, director Paul Greengrass' film has been made with skill and treats the subject matter with respect, never resorting to the aggrandizement of which Hollywood has sometimes been accused. Especially effective is the cast of mostly unknown actors, who portray the passengers of the doomed flight as ordinary people who respond with bravery to extraordinary circumstances.
Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 44
Fresh: 39 | Rotten: 5
Potent and sobering, United 93 is even more gut-wrenching because the outcome is already known. While difficult to watch, director Paul Greengrass' film has been made with skill and treats the subject matter with respect, never resorting to the aggrandizement of which Hollywood has sometimes been accused. Especially effective is the cast of mostly unknown actors, who portray the passengers of the doomed flight as ordinary people who respond with bravery to extraordinary circumstances.
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Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 122,917
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Movie Info
Bloody Sunday director Paul Greengrass marks the five-year anniversary on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States with this speculative meditation on the events that took place onboard the fourth hijacked plane, and the actions of the passengers who gave their lives to ensure the safety of others. Told in real time and acted out by a cast of unknowns who were provided with detailed studies of their real-life counterparts, United 93 attempts to reconstruct the airborne
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Cast
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David Alan Basche
Todd Beamer -
Richard Bekins
William Joseph Cashman -
Susan Blommaert
Jane Folger -
Ray Charleson
Joseph DeLuca -
Christian Clemenson
Thomas E. Burnett Jr. -
Khalid Abdalla
Ziad Jarrah -
Lewis Alsamari
Saeed al Ghamdi -
Ben Sliney
Ben Sliney -
Major James Fox
Major James Fox -
Gregg Henry
Colonel Robert Marr -
Omar Berdouni
Ahmed al Haznawi -
Denny Dillon
Colleen Fraser -
Peter Hermann
Jeremy Glick -
Marceline Hugot
Georgine Rose Corrigan -
Joe Jamrog
John Talignani -
Peter Marinker
Andrew Garcia -
Jodie Lynne McClintock
Marion R. Britton -
Libby Morris
Hilda Marcin -
Tom O'Rourke
Donald Peterson -
David Rasche
Donald Freeman Greene -
Michael J. Reynolds
Patrick Driscoll -
John Rothman
Edward P. Felt -
Chip Zien
Mark Rothenberg -
Leigh Zimmerman
Christine Snyder -
Simon Poland
Alan Anthony Beaven -
Rebecca Schull
Patricia Cushing -
Tara Hugo
Kristin White Gould -
Erich Redman
Christian Adams -
Lorna Dallas
Linda Gronlund -
Corey Johnson
Louis J. Nacke II -
Polly Adams
Deborah Welsh Flight At... -
Nancy McDoniel
Lorraine G. Bay -
Starla Benford
Wanda Anita Green Fligh... -
Becky London
Jean Hoadley Peterson -
Opal Alladin
Cee Cee Lyles -
Kate Jennings Grant
Lauren Catuzzi Grandcol... -
Liza Colon-Zayas
Waleska Martinez -
Olivia Thirlby
Nicole Miller -
Chloe Sirene
Honor Elizabeth Wainio -
Daniel Sauli
Richard Guadagno -
Cheyenne Jackson
Mark Bingham -
Gary Commock
First Officer Leroy Hom... -
Trieste Kelly Dunn
Deora Frances Bodley -
Trish Gates
Sandy Bradshaw -
Masato Kamo
Toshiya Kuge -
Jamie Harding
Ahmed al Nami -
J.J. Johnson
Captain Jason M. Dahl
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All Critics (211) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (190) | Rotten (19) | DVD (32)
Greengrass takes pains to keep events believable and relatively unrhetorical, rejecting entertainment for the sake of sober reflection, though one has to ask how edifying this is apart from its reduction of the standard myths.
United 93 might be an insular response to a global tragedy, but -- taken on its own, limited terms -- it is powerful and sincere, giving reign to pity and fear without indulging jingoism or sentimentality. For that at least it deserves applause.
Top CriticThis limitation in source material has had a peculiar effect on the script. Never is there a moment of repulsive sentimentality or exploitation, but neither is Greengrass able to realize an ultimate purpose.
Even the undeniable heroism of the passengers on United 93 doesn't edify as it should.
... this is a picture we all must see.
... left me feeling curiously unmoved and even slightly resentful.
A black hole
A flawed, but gripping well-crafted piece of drama...
Story of 9/11 hijacking: harrowing, not for kids.
This is not a film you go to for enjoyment, but because you have a duty to endure it.
a real-time reconstruction of events on the doomed flight that manages to encapsulate all the anxieties and sorrows of our age.
I can say that United 93 has been done well -- with intelligence, compassion, efficiency -- and yet still question whether it was worth doing.
A supreme achievement.
Amazingly detailed in its narrative cohesion and editing, United 93 is a noble tribute to the tragedy of 9/11.
Greengrass recreates the attacks on the World Trade Center utilizing existing news footage and it still retains the horror of that day. Despite knowing the ultimate outcome of this film, UNITED 93 is a harrowing and important film.
Cinema verite at its very best!
Audience Reviews for United 93
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- First Officer Leroy Homer Jr.: I don't care how many windows you break.
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- Todd Beamer: I got it, it's a fake!
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| terrible movie | 11 days ago | 4 |
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