11 septembre

I just realized the movie came out on the weekend before 9/11's 16th anniversary, but first and foremost, this movie is about people. It's a compelling story about how strangers from all walks of life, can just so happen in an elevator, set to the background of 9/11. These people start to bond as they attempt to survive.

It's trilling, suspenseful and very dramatic, especially the performance of Charlie Sheen, proving he is still capable of playing a character that's just not himself in a way (Don't even know the last time he played someone who was not named Charlie)

The whole movie feels like a play, and then I find out in the end credits that that's exactly what it was adapted from, a play called Elevator, a title I must admit I'd prefer over 9/11.

Though I understand why they called in 9/11, what's good about this character driven piece is the fact that it's about the characters and the story happens to be set on 9/11. I just love the good life lessons the story tells as these strangers get to know each other past the stereotypes we put on people on our first impressions. Very human.

Overall, it's not the best movie but I am impressed by the adaption. It really touches on the right emotions.

http://cinemagardens.com

Like anyone else who is old enough to really remember 9/11 like it was yesterday, I am always interested in the different forms of storytelling and narrative that capture this horrendous but incredibly important event in our history. This movie popped up on my recommendations, and despite the horrible reviews, I decided to give it a shot.

And I'm so glad I did. This movie is not perfect and certainly does not have the budget of other films about the topic, but it is an interesting concept and one that is well executed overall. And no spoilers, but after the movie if you do a little research you will find that while the movie is based on a play, there was a real-life event on 9/11 that is incredibly similar to this story (enough that I would not have minded if this was labeled "based on a true story").

If you are looking for a broader view of 9/11 and want to see more carnage and "action", there are plenty of documentaries out there. This film is adapted from a play, and that is effectively what you get on screen. For me, it was absolutely worth the viewing. Never forget.

9/11 is based on Patrick James Carson's play Elevator. It is a low budget film about five people trapped in an elevator in the north tower of the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001.

I still remember a work colleague in Britain telling me what happened during that day. The way he described it I was not sure whether he was joking or not or whether the whole thing was just incredulous. I tried to go on the BBC news website and it took ages for it to download the headline page because of the volume of the net traffic.

Charlie Sheen and Gina Gershon are a couple on the verge of divorce. He is a billionaire, the lift they use suddenly stops. Luis Guzman plays a worker in the lift who contacts Whoopie Goldberg who works in the maintenance room.

The five people in the elevator are initially unaware as to what has happened but slowly they become aware especially via Goldberg what is happening all around them and they need to get out of the elevator quickly.

The film does look a bit cheap and quickly shot but the actors give passionate and earnest performances, especially as it dawns on them as to the peril they are in and something very serious has taken place.

Even the audience would fear the worse for these five people and that they make not make it out alive.

The film does draw you in and rather captivates you as it goes along even though at times you also feel the film is manipulative. I can understand why the movie was accused of bad taste because of its release date near the date of the disaster.

I saw this movie on 9/11 and there was no one else in the theater besides me. The movie felt very cheaply made and Charlie Sheen's performance was pretty laughable. Lots of monologues in this film that dragged on and characters I cared very little about, even if they were supposed to be victims of a real event. The whole concept of a movie about being trapped in an elevator is a bad idea for a movie, adding on top a real tragedy just makes it even more tasteless. Fictional characters don't belong in a movie about a tragedy so recent.

I was drawn to this because I felt it would be a good story. Some decent actors in this film. Unfortunately the acting in this film was not very good.