Mudita Journal

United 93, from Bourne Supremacy Director

April 1, 2006 · Filed under: Politics, Reviews
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Based upon the preview, United 93 looks like it will be an extremely good movie.

The movie was made by Paul Greengrass, the director of The Bourne Supremacy — which was also quite good.

From an interview with Greengrass:

Like everybody, the events surrounding Flight 93 and the events of 9/11 had a massive effect on me.

And it became pretty clear to me, after that, that I would always want to make a film about terrorism that would encompass and explore the events of 9/11.

But then it’s about whether it’s the right time and it’s about whether the families of those people aboard the airplane want you to tell that story.

What we found, when we went to see each one of those fmailies, was that they all want this film to be made.

Arrives in theaters April 28, 2006.

UPDATE: Quite a few people are complaining that it’s “too soon” for a movie like this.

Something about that strikes me as maladaptive. If you have open wounds that haven’t healed after five years, then what you need is not more time; you need help from a psychologist.

But then, there’s always the possibility that you don’t want closure or objectivity or healing; instead you want to bury the experience down the collective memory hole.

I predict we will hear more of these “too soon” complaints from the left than from the right. (See here, here, and here, where the movie is already getting bemoaned as a publicity coup for Republicans, even though there’s no hint of political motivations in the movie’s trailer.)

Meantime, all these inevitable articles in the mainstream media about how “controversial” the film is going to be will only boost its prominence in the public eye. Which may be helpful for the financial success of the film and for America’s healing process as well.

The movie looks good — like a fitting treatment of the subject, which honors the people involved and the things they did.

The heroism that took place on that flight was everyday America at its best, and my initial impression of the movie is that Americans could not hope for a more fitting documentary of what took place.

Posted by Joshua Zader · Trackback URL · Link
  • Lissa F

    Hadn’t heard about this movie yet — thanks. I would be v. interested to see such a movie, at first glance — sort of like a Schindler’s list for America. After scores of hack movies slamming pre 9/11 America, it is a story yet that remains to be told, told well, and — told often.

  • http://www.muditajournal.com/archives/000295.php United 93: The Original ‘Pack Not a Herd’ :: Mudita Journal

    [...] In any case, Time magazine is offering up an early peek at the upcoming United 93 movie, and it further reinforces my impression that the movie will be both good and important. [...]

  • Karen

    Joshua, do you happen to know if the movie will be released here in Albuquerque on 4/28, and which, if any, theaters will be playing it? Thanks. Personally I am far more interested in seeing this movie than seeing Nicolas Cage play in Oliver Stone’s retelling.

    By the way, regarding your comment that having an “open wound” after five years is maladaptive or masochistic: Contrary to prevailing views, it doesn’t take “about a year or so” to recover and heal from a major loss or tragedy. I cried seeing the trailer, and would call my “wound” still open to some extent, but I don’t think I need to see a psychologist because of it.

    Like grief over the death of a family member, you reach a point where you can function daily, but you’re never “all better.” My parents died ten years ago; I don’t ever want to get to a point where I couldn’t get upset or cry over it once in a while.

    Great site by the way.

  • http://www.zader.com Joshua Zader

    Karen,

    Thanks for your comments.

    I’m not sure about the movie’s availability on 4/28, but I’m planning to at least try to see it on 4/29.

    I agree with you that healing takes time, and that the goal is definitely not to reach a point where we feel nothing.

    I too cried when I saw the trailer.

    What I regard as maladaptive is the effort to shut an old traumatic experience out of awareness — e.g., by protesting that it’s “too soon” for a movie.

    Hope that helps clarify.

    Joshua

  • Karen

    Ahh – so the maladaptive response would be like people refusing to accept it, rather than integrating it into their lives. Right? Like refusing to go to the funeral or something like that…good point. I understand now.

    I’ve heard the “too soon” whining a lot from people too, and I always think, Too soon for what? Too soon compared to what? Is it going to cause damage of some sort? How? If a movie causes sadness, it shouldn’t be made? (There goes half of the film industry.)

    And of course, the other obvious response to the “too sooners” is that the movie is not going to be forcibly broadcast into their intra-cerebral ipods — you don’t HAVE to go see it! Huzzah!

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