5/6/2006

23 Responses to “United 93”

1. Thanks, Patterico, I rarely see movies in the theatre anymore, however, you’ve convinced me to see United 93 on Tuesday.

   Chris from Victoria, BC (5d90a2) — 5/6/2006 @ 11:37 pm

   
   

2. Well, yes.

   CraigC (9fd63a) — 5/7/2006 @ 12:02 am

   
   

3. Passion of the Christ. United 93. Have to see, hard to see.

   Vermont Neighbor (a9ae2c) — 5/7/2006 @ 12:26 am

   
   

4. I’m not sure who left the comment “Well, yes”, but it wasn’t me. I did see the film, and it is worth the 8 or 9 bucks to see it in the theater. And one thing it doesn’t do is spend a lot of time showing you the past lives of all the characters to get you to like them. It is basically just the true story, laid out in real time (mostly). There was a lot of room to ask Why? Why weren’t there enough jets to scramble to intercept the aircraft? Thank Clinton for that. Why was the communication so bad? Thank the “Good ol Boy” groups (FBI, CIA, FAA, etc) who want to keep their own little fiefdoms and not give up information or control to others.
   Anyway, check it out.

   Craig C (35a2ab) — 5/7/2006 @ 5:58 am

   
   

5. It was terrific and the lack of backstory made it even better. The passengers were “everyman” and the effect it had on real people could be seen in the Richard Reid case. There will never be another airplane hijacking without passengers fighting back. The conventional wisdom had been to cooperate but 9/11 showed that was outdated.

   The El Al airliner that had an attempted hijacking back about 20 years ago could be a model. The hijacker identified himself and demanded access to the cockpit. The pilot’s response was to invert the airplane. Everybody but the hijacker was belted in. End of hijacking.

   The movie should be required in high schools. It won’t be, of course.

   Mike K (416363) — 5/7/2006 @ 7:38 am

   
   

6. I saw it opening night, in an almost entirely empty movie theatre in Indio (the smallest crowd for a movie i’ve seen on opening night in years). It was extremely well done.

   aphrael (e7c761) — 5/7/2006 @ 8:39 am

   
   

7. I had the same reactions to this as you did, Patterico. My wife was openly crying. I aagree ith George Will that this should be a civic duty for all to watch this film. That should be the tie in in high school — civics classes, and world history, American history, and any oher classes that are similar to these.

   MikeW (9f37aa) — 5/7/2006 @ 10:53 am

   
   

8. I’m trying to get up my nerve to see it, because I believe it is SO important. But I cannot watch the trailers or even THINK about it (or even write this) without crying so I know I’ll be a wreck.

   I’m also thinking about taking my 11 year old daughter. I want her to be uneqiuvocal about evil…

   Susan (01dd03) — 5/7/2006 @ 11:34 am

   
   

9. Saw it the day after it opened, with family. Truly outstanding. I emailed Will today thanking him for a wonderful and important column, as well. Civic duty indeed, and in fact I used those words a week ago in a review I posted on Amazon.

   I absolutely plan to see it in the theatres again and buy the DVD, but it was important to me that we see it opening weekend and contribute to the memorial fund to which a portion of the first weekend’s gross went.

   Early in the movie I was aware of having heart palpitations and a stomach ache from the incredible tension. I actually calmed down a bit as the chaos of that morning bore us toward the finale. It is extremely odd to find yourself hoping they don’t take off, hoping they overwhelm the terrorists, when you know exactly what will (did) happen and that no wishing or hoping will ever change reality. The film is so well done, and made even better by the real people from that day playing themselves or people just like themselves. But really, the most overwhelming experience is the stark feelings of foreboding as the events play out.

   Peg C. (5907f4) — 5/7/2006 @ 11:52 am

   
   

10. For a real eye-opening experience, go on over to IMDb and check out the message board for United 93. It’s filled with some of the most insane conspiracy theories you can imagine.

    I can only liken it to watching PeeWee Herman criticize a thesis from a math PhD candidate.

    Steverino (7c5904) — 5/7/2006 @ 11:54 am

    
    

11. Steverino, stick around here long enough and you’ll hear the same theories from at least one regular poster.

    Harry Arthur (b318a5) — 5/7/2006 @ 12:13 pm

    
    

12. Steverino, that insanity forms the main voice of our political opponents and our enemy alike. Something for sane Democrats to chew on.

    Peg C. (5907f4) — 5/7/2006 @ 12:23 pm

    
    

13. Patterico

    Just saw it today. It was like a punch to the stomach and husband and I kept clutching at each other and were unashamed that tears rolled down our faces.

    Why did it take a British director to do this? (huge kudos to Greengrass) Hollywood should be thoroughly ashamed that they lacked the intestinal fortitude to do this themselves, and sooner.

    As hard as it was for me, #3 daughter reports she went with her boyfriend a few days ago. His father is a United pilot and, in rotation, 93 was one of his regular runs and 93 pilot Jason Dahl was a family friend.

    Darleen (81f712) — 5/7/2006 @ 4:33 pm

    
    

14. Why did it take a British director to do this?
    Because nothing pro american can ever be born by the self-hating hollywood elite. Good flick. I betcha won’t see it nominated though. Cowards.

    paul from fl (464e99) — 5/7/2006 @ 4:50 pm

    
    

15. Because nothing pro american can ever be born by the self-hating hollywood elite. Good flick. I betcha won’t see it nominated though. Cowards.

    That’s certainly true. After all, Oliver Stone is coming out with a pic on the WTC attack. Given his…um…accuracy in JFK and Nixon, I’m betting he will blame it all on every Republican that ever walked the earth.

    Steverino (7c5904) — 5/7/2006 @ 7:09 pm

    
    

16. I’m betting he will blame it all on every Republican that ever walked the earth.

    All I can say is, this time he’d better spell my name right.

    McGehee (5664e1) — 5/7/2006 @ 7:57 pm

    
    

17. “Thank the “Good ol Boy” groups (FBI, CIA, FAA, etc) who want to keep their own little fiefdoms and not give up information or control to others.”

    No, thank Frank Church for building the wall between law enforcement and intellegence agencies. Then tip your hat to Jamie Gorelick for adding a strand of concertina wire to the top of the wall.

    CalFed (0590cf) — 5/7/2006 @ 9:05 pm

    
    

18. Then tip your hat to Jamie Gorelick for adding a strand of concertina wire to the top of the wall.

    Am I wrong for laughing when I read that name, given what Clinton received in the Oval Office?

    Steverino (7c5904) — 5/7/2006 @ 10:32 pm

    
    

19. I hardly get time to watch movies at the theatre. But u and the reviews r forcing me to watch it. Its a movie not to be missed. Lets see when i m fortunate enough to catch it!

    justin (261595) — 5/8/2006 @ 3:04 am

    
    

20. Susan,
    Think carefully about taking your 11 year old to see “United 93”. I cringe when I think of the bad reactions some of my kids had to movies I thought they could handle. My daughter still has a fear of spiders from watching “Arachnophobia”. The really bad part is for years she was upset with me for taking her.

    tyree (180d9d) — 5/8/2006 @ 9:31 pm

    
    

21. Heard a lot about the movie. Its a movie to be watched on big screen. So have to make a plan. Its not that crap stuff that we r usually forced to watch. Not to be missed types!

    tom (47c7cf) — 5/9/2006 @ 5:25 am

    
    

22. […] I said I went to see United 93 because it looked like it was “not a typical Hollywood piece of crap.” […]

    Patterico’s Pontifications » A True Story of How Hollywood Can Turn Anything Into Maudlin Crap (421107) — 5/22/2006 @ 8:32 pm