United 93
Rental/£19.99, Universal
There is nothing easy about this film. Based on the hijacking of one of the planes on 9/11, it wasn't easy to make and it's certainly not easy to watch. Even the timing of the whole endeavour became a matter of controversy. And the subject matter hardly screams commerciality. However, you do get the feeling that plenty of those involved felt that this had to be made. That alone sets it apart from most other modern movies. It deals with events as factually and coldly as possible. Even if you're the kind of conspiracy theory fan who thinks the whole 9/11 tragedy was the doing of our super-wealthy reptilian overlords, you'd have to admit that this film convincingly portrays what probably happened on a plane hijacked by terrorists. It is incredibly impressive, powerful and non-exploitative. For the first hour it cuts between the doomed flight and the increasingly stunned air traffic controllers - using non-actors to play their movie counterparts. Despite knowing the outcome, it's never less than unbearably tense. The final moments in the plane, although mostly speculative, give emotion without any apparent audience manipulation. For the duration of the movie at least, you'll believe everything you see.
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