Seen: may 17th, 2007
Format: Blu-Ray
Rating: 8
I'm no big fan of Oliver Stone. I find him overly dramatic and ham-handed. I think he's basically a nutjob conspiracy theorist who's real agenda is to re-write history so that everyone can see "how things really went down" by presenting a more lurid and vapid version of real accounts. I think he's much more moved by spectable than substance.
I may need to revise my opinion.
The only real flaw in World Trade Center is Maria Bello's awful contact lenses. Other than this little faux pas, the film is delightfully presented and executed.
I was suprised at the compactness of this story. 9/11 was a big day, full of stories. Stone has chosen a single one of those, albeit a very compelling one, to stand for the heroes who were swept aside in that maelstrom. It would have been easier to showcase half a dozen stories. To have multiple people impacted by the tragedy, switching quickly between them to keep the story frenetically moving forward. To catapult us into the middle of all their pain, to keep us driving toward their own individual conclusions.
Instead, we get a heart-felt rendition of the terror that our heroes endure. We share the agonizing waiting that their families are subject to. We see the tragedy through their eyes and experience it yet again from a fresh perspective. We're shown new heroes, people we didn't know existed. Plain, ordinary people driven to be a part of the good that was done on that day. People worth celebrating not only for who they are and what the represent, but of humanity's potential for compassion.
This film is beautifully shot. There are moments of visual wonder here. The locations each have their own tone and pace. Different things stand out in each of them, but their cohesiveness is very impressive. This is one of those films that make having a full HD setup seem like a wise decision.
I was very impressed by Cage here. He disappears into his part. Generally I have a tough time distinguishing the actor from the part, but here he becomes McLoughlin. He was a bit melodramatic at times, but this somehow didn't seem out of character for McLoughlin who is portrayed a generally retiscent. Micheal Peña does a good job as well. I think he's one to watch over the next few years. Bello and Gyllenhaal are both very good, with the edge going to Gyllenhaal. Having seen Sherrybaby not too long ago, the contrast is startling.
See this one. It's a compelling story of simple human will. It's not fancy, it's not saccahrine, it's not melodramtic and it's not nearly as large as the tragedy in which it plays a part. 9/11 is too large for any of us to fully comprehend, much less process emotionally. World Trade Center provides us with a piece that we can digest and perhaps come to grips with.
The Good: Lack of politics and agenda
The Bad: The world comes tumbling down
The Ugly: True heroes require tragedy to shine
