11 septembre - Le détournement du vol 93

Flight 93

Last month, in recognition of the 8th anniversary of 9/11, I reviewed the film United 93. As good as that film is, it's not the only movie about that fateful flight, nor in my opinion, is it the best.

These days it seems that the best crews are actually working in television, and the made for TV movie Flight 93, a joint production of A&E and FOX is a good example. It tells the exact same story as United 93 taken from the same sources, and also told in a dramatic narrative style, but with a bit more impact. It's a shame that far fewer people have actually seen this TV version of the story.

As I've said, both are good "films", but Flight 93, which is technically not a film because it was shot on HD Video instead of 35mm Film like United 93, has more dynamic camera work. Perhaps it's the size difference between the film camera and the HD camera, but even though both were shot primarily hand held, the angles, tight shots and pans are more daring and interesting in Flight.

Additionally creative choices and edits were a bit sharper with Flight. For example, within the first few minutes of the film we know the names of the hijackers, and most of the key passengers, thanks to the great idea to include a series of tight shots on the boarding passes as passengers boarded the plane.

Flight 93 also includes lots of details throughout that weren't shown in United 93, including some that were perhaps whitewashed from United (whether this was intentional to avoid controversy, lawsuit, for creative reasons, or to lionize all the innocents, or just an accident of choice in the editing room, it still has an impact) for example, the fact that the pilots of the commercial aircraft had received a warning against possible cockpit intrusion, but chose to open the door anyway.

While none of these little things – a shot here, a detail there – makes much of a difference on it's own, taken together, they add up to a more dramatic story.

If you're the type that views only movies shot on film as "quality", and eschew anything video – yeah, you'll probably like United 93 better. But if you can enjoy HD video just as much (and with a story this engaging, how couldn't you?) I'd recommend Flight 93 between the two.

This is a movie that is hard to watch because you know how it's going to end. Seeing this movie just brings back emotions about 9/11.

I was very impressed with this movie. We see the hijacking of flight 93 thru the passenger eyes. We see and feel the hell that they were going through on that fatal flight. We also happen to witness the families pain! In case you didn't know many passengers were able to call on the airplane phones during that flight.

This movie is not only a history lesson but its a very emotional experience. I am sure that the producers took some liberties but most films based on true stories do.

I highly recommend this. I can't see a better being made about these heroes of "Flight 93"

Its also a reminder how the events of 9/11 has re-shaped the United States and the middle east

This is a very emotionally sirring movie. THat's really all there is to it. THe people on FLight 93 were courageous in their efforts to keep their plane from destroying another building and killing more people. THe poster before me criticised the movie for being faulty in dialogue, effects, etc., but without any first-hand accounts to go on concerning what happened on the plane, I think this film was excellent. As far as the effects go, it's a TV movie... What do you expect?? I feel for all people who lost someone that day, not only on Flight 93, but also in New York and in Washington. I pray that this movie does the victims and their families justice.

On September, 11th 2001, four domestic flights are hijacked by terrorist in United States of America. After the collision of three against selected targets, the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 fight against four terrorists to take back the control of the airplane.

On the day that the world changed, about forty two passengers and crew of United Flight 93 become aware that the four terrorists that hijacked their plane are in a suicidal mission, after the collisions of three other airplanes. Through the testimony of their phone calls, this movie reconstitutes and dramatizes the moments of despair of some of them. The story is very sad and touching, since they are common people like you and me in a flight. It is impossible not projecting ourselves in the tragic situation that might have happened to either of us and feel a great sympathy for the victims. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Vôo 93 – O Fime" ("Flight 93 – The Movie")

The made-for-TV "Flight 93" was on A&E last night, so I watched it having recently been pleasantly impressed by the (similar/same) story of "United 93", which I rented on DVD just a few weeks ago.

Perhaps my opinion of "Flight" would be different if I had not seen "United" first, but I just didn't feel the power, emotion and anger that I'd felt while watching "United". "Flight" felt detached, poorly-acted and strangely 'calm', whereas "United" portrayed well the sense of in-credulousness of the situation as it unfolded and brought back the sick feeling we all had that day when it was realized what was actually going on. The air traffic controllers/airline people on the ground in "Flight" however seemed content to sit there serenely and simply wait for another opportunity to say, "There goes another one". And when one of the hijacked passengers uses his cell phone to give a sad farewell to his wife, she hangs up without even saying so much as "I love you".

Perhaps though my main problem with "Flight" is that it merely recreates what (is believed) to have happened, while "United" does the same while reminding us that procedures, organization & interaction on the ground were inexcusably poor, and that there are valuable lessons to be learned from this tragedy. By glossing over that aspect of the fateful day, "Flight 93" falls flat.

So if you've seen "United 93" already, don't waste your time with "Flight 93" - and if you haven't seen either but are interested in the story, make it "United".