United 93 (2006)
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The film depicts the harrowing real-time events of the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.
The story
On the morning of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda members board United Airlines Flight 93. While the plane is delayed, air traffic controllers lose contact with another hijacked flight and realize the severity of the attacks. After takeoff, the hijackers seize control of the aircraft, intending to crash it into the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. As the plane reaches cruising altitude, the passengers become aware of the hijackers' intentions. Realizing the hijackers are on a suicide mission, the passengers begin to form a plan to retake the plane with assistance from the flight crew.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. After takeoff, hijackers Ziad Jarrah, Saeed al-Ghamdi, Ahmed al-Nami, and Ahmed al-Haznawi seize the plane, killing pilots Jason Dahl and LeRoy Homer. They intend to crash the aircraft into the U.S. Capitol. Meanwhile, the FAA shuts down U.S. airspace. On the plane, passengers learn of the attacks in New York City and begin to coordinate a revolt. Beamer declares, "Let's roll," and the passengers charge the hijackers. They manage to subdue Haznawi and Nami, but Jarrah and Ghamdi remain at the controls. As the passengers breach the cockpit and struggle for the yoke, the plane inverts and crashes into a field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone on board. The film concludes with a dedication to the victims of September 11.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English; Arabic (diegetic)
- Directors
- Paul Greengrass
- Writers
- Paul Greengrass · writer
- Cast and characters
- J. J. Johnson · Captain Jason Dahl; Gary Commock · First Officer LeRoy Homer Jr.; Polly Adams · Deborah Welsh; Trish Gates · Sandra Bradshaw; Opal Alladin · CeeCee Lyles; Nancy McDoniel · Lorraine G. Bay; Starla Benford · Wanda Anita Green; Christian Clemenson · Tom Burnett
- Genres
- docudrama; action; biographical; disaster; thriller
- Themes
- terrorism; heroism; sacrifice; real-time tragedy
- Tone and mood
- sobering; authentic; heartbreaking; tense
- Setting
- United States, September 11, 2001
- Premise and plot tags
- based on actual events; aviation; historical; docudrama
- Source material / true-story basis
- September 11 attacks
- Reception
- The film was highly acclaimed, receiving full marks from several prominent critics and being listed on numerous 'best of' lists. It was a box-office success, grossing $78 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 90 · review count: 39 critics' top 10 lists
- Awards and nominations
- BAFTA · Best Director · win; BAFTA · Best Film Editing · win; Academy Award · Best Director · nomination; Academy Award · Best Film Editing · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the first Hollywood feature to draw its narrative directly from the September 11 attacks.; The set was built so that it moved in the way the actual flight did.; The blood visible on the actors' faces during the revolt scene is authentic.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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