UNITED WE WATCH

You might see protesters outside the theatre this Friday (plenty have already been complaining to theatre personnel). They will be protesting about the screening of Flight 93. They won't be talking about it being based on lies (it's not the Da Vinci Code), but that it's being released too soon after the tragedy. It's been less than five years since that horrible day and there's no doubt that it's too soon for a tragedy movie to be made on the events.

The truth, however, isn't that these protesters think that it's too soon to make/release this film. The real reason why they don't want it shown is because it will help film goers remember. Remember that horrific day, that so many Americans have sadly consigned to history and forgotten about. To remember what happened to so many of our fellow Americans (and I call myself one - even though I'm a British Citizen, albeit living in LA for the last 10 years) will only give us resolve to make sure that we don't let this happen again.

September the 11th, and in this case Flight 93, isn't history though...not yet! It is current day, it is the world that we are living in and we cannot afford to think any other way.

The film per se is not about 9/11, but rather about one airplane and it's passengers - in truth it was the first flight that was post-9/11 (if only by a few minutes). It tells the story of the day through a meticulous re-enactment of events surrounding United 93, the last of four hijacked aircraft (tracking events in real-time). By a quirk of fate, Flight 93 was delayed on the runway at Newark Airport for 45 minutes. By the time it was airborne, the other three planes had reached their intended targets. As a result, the forty passengers and crew on board Flight 93 became the first people to inhabit the post-9/11 world.

The cast is large, some 47 actors in total. The 48th cast member is Ben Sliney who plays himself in the film as the National Operations Manager reenacting the events he went through on that day.

The Best Judges: The film was made with the full support of the families of those who were on board Flight UNITED 93 (who are the best judges as to whether this film is being released too soon).

So when you see the protesters there at the theatre, see them for what they really are: Anti-American Protestors and go in shouting out your support of the troops who are fighting to stop this kind of evil ever happening again!

As for me I'll be walking in drapped in my American flag!


LINKS:

• United 93 - Film's website
• United Heroes
• National Memorial Project (Donations to the families affected can be made here.)
• September 11 Web Archive
• Complete 911 Timeline
• 7th of July London Bombings (BBC)