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September 11, 2001, Sgt. John
McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) a 21 year veteran cop sets out to work on what seems to be an ordinary day. But then, one of the two towers of the World Trade Center is hit by a
hi-jacked plane and a number of people have become trapped in the crash.
McLoughlin, together with rookie Will Jimeno (Michael Pena) and some other volunteer cops head down the tower, not believing rumors that the 2nd building has also been hit. Shortly after McLoughlin's rescue team enter the building, chaos ensues as the entire Tower One collapses and buries the men under an enormous pile of debris. With only three of the original team surviving, including McLoughlin and Jimeno, but painfully pinned down by boulders, metal and debris, they keep each other's spirit alive by exchanging stories about their families, fighting desperation and the numbing pain. Their respective families, worried and eaten by extreme fear of the worst happening try to remain hopeful of their husbands' return. Meanwhile, ex-Marine Dave Karnes (Michael Shannon) driven by a call from the Lord, travels to the city for a one-man rescue team and facilitates the rescue of the last surviving victims of the September 11 tragedy.
Being a story based on a real life tragedy that shocked the whole world, the movie carries with it
an advantage that makes the audience tolerate its almost lackluster presentation.
To start with, the movie moves too slowly and fails to recreate the same tension and horror of the real event. In fact, it moves with such a slow pace to be moving and powerful, despite the drama and passion unfolding underneath the rubble and debris. The movie is also too dialogue driven to keep the audience's attention. There was good camerawork following Cage before he got trapped, and brilliant editing to tighten up two simultaneous stories – the one underneath the collapsed building and the stories of the spouses. At the best, the movie is appreciable and moving as it focuses on how the people dealt with the 9/11 events instead of over sensationalizing the occurrence.
Events such as the 9/11 tragedy and other similar disaster films bring to fore that fact that
although some men are capable of doing so much evil, most are capable of doing kindness beyond what we could imagine, to remind us of mankind's innate goodness that we sometime
forget could exist.
The will to survive during duress and crisis in commendable but even more so is the selflessness and sacrifice mankind is willing to give to help and save those in need. Further, the movie appreciates the value and importance of prayer; of love and family as these become the fundamental reason why McLoughlin and Jimeno fought hard to stay alive and to stay awake and hopeful. Beautifully said to his wife by a broken McLoughlin as he is rushed into the Emergency Room, is "You kept me alive." The film successfully removes the attention to what is already a well known event and delivers anecdotes of small, yet significant heroes who teach us another level of hope.
(Date Reviewed: 20 October 2006)
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