There has been much commentary recently criticizing the timing of this film. Many of our kind and well intentioned citizens say that it is to soon for this film- there has not been enough time for the emotional scars to heal. Foolishness! The timing of this film is perfect as no one should let themselves forget what happened five years ago this September, although many already have.

Director Paul Greengrass does a marvelous job of portraying the events of that day with an honesty that communicates the horror of the events without sensationalizing the most grotesque elements. All characters, whether victim or terrorist, are shown in full humanity- stereotypical characterization is avoided.

The terrorists are shown early in the film praying in a hotel room; they are nervous, they seem hesitant, they are not the raging monsters that we normally see in movies involving terrorists. Did Greengrass expect or want viewers to feel compassion or sympathy for these people- these deplorable, cretinous pieces of human debris? It would have been easier to watch if they did fit the normal mold. How can someone who feels reservation, who feels passionately toward a higher power, execute an atrocious act against innocent people.

Equally powerful to the impact of the film, is the portrayal of the victims. Americans like their movie heroes to be emotionally detached, ‘John Wayne”-esque while foiling the plot of the bad guys. The passengers of this doomed flight were emotional, clumsy, and awkward as they carried out their counter terrorism efforts, but they affected their own destinies with nothing to gain for themselves, selflessly protecting those on the ground. America owes these fine people a debt that, sadly, can’t be repaid.

The fine folks that run NORAD and the control towers in the various cities affected most by the events of that day are uniformly depicted as one step behind the movements of the terrorists and unable to make the decisions needed to minimize the inevitable damage because they are unable to fully communicate with each other. If there is one possible ray of hope watching all of this, it’s that awareness would rise so these various agencies and traffic control personnel would receive the funding they need to coordinate their efforts. They represent a major component of our front line that protects us all- in the air and on the ground.

Nothing about this movie is easy or made for entertainment. Every so often, Hollywood makes movies for the people that are a public service, a history lesson: United 93 is the latest project fitting that description.