ValleyVue doing a review on a movie? Preposterous! What in the Valley does it have to do with the mission of this blog? It may be easier to look upon this article in the context that is part of a two part series examining the Valley's response to American events, international issues, and in the second part of this series, to be published soon, immigration.

United 93 is a controversial film reenacting the events of the September 11, 2001 Al Queda attacks on the United States, particularly from the perspective of passengers aboard United Airlines flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. There are few if any moviegoers that would walk into the theater not knowing what happened on 9/11. However, this film appeals as a visual depiction of what some call the one bright spot on that day--the passengers' heroic efforts to take the plane back from the terrorists.

This ValleyVue film critic should mention that he viewed this film in a San Francisco cinema. Considering the emotional nature of the film topic, it may have been advantageous to review it among residents of the Valley to get a full idea of the reactions. On the other hand, as seen in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, this was an event felt equally by all Americans.

In fact, as the film moved on, I could not help but to remember my own personal experiences of that day. I woke up, started driving to work in Sacramento, and looked around at a stop light to see bleary-eyed, if not crying commuters. The radio in my car was playing music--which would soon be replaced on all frequencies by news programming for days. In between songs, the DJ was fielding calls by distraught listeners. I heard "the towers are gone. Just gone," and a call by a hiphop DJ for prayer. My interest was peaked, and I tuned to a newsradio station to hear of the planes, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the general fear and confusion that fell over the whole country.

This emotional recollection came flooding back as the film depicted the same confused, fearful reaction of air traffic controllers, military strategists, and news reporters. Knowing fully that the planes the FAA could not communicate with would hit the towers in Manhattan, I was still struck empathetically with sorrow when again viewing footage of the second plane crash. The theater was silent, along with the onscreen characters--the decision-makers who were shocked into momentary inaction--as the second tower was struck. At that moment, the realization that America was under attack had set in, and the feeling of helplessness in stopping any other ongoing attack overwhelmed us all. The theater was still, except for the occasional sob...dare I say there was not a dry eye in the house?

A bit of controversy has arisen out of the filmmaker's decision to depict the humanity of the terrorists. These were Islamic fundamentalists, but they were not shown as unwavering soldiers of Bin Laden. Definitely, the characters showed no sign of questioning their cause, but there was more hesitation to act than might have actually been the case on United 93. On the other hand, the film was believable and realistic all the way through. These humans were all frail, with the same amount of trepidation and fear as any of us would have had in their stead. I believe that lends more credit to the courageous passengers as they confronted militant terrorists that had already killed their fellow Americans both on the plane and, as they found out from cell phones, in New York.

I felt the fear, anger, and desperation of these passengers. I was possibly more hateful of the terrorist characters on Flight 93 than I have ever experienced of other film villains. September 11 was a day I lived through and experienced, but because of this film I have gained an even deeper respect and awe of the passengers on that and the other three hijacked planes that day. I desire even more for the United States to capture Bin Laden and others responsible for the attacks. I also have a renewed hope that America's defenses become more reactive to terror activities. Makes you hope for a sequel, in which Bin Laden is finally caught.

United 93 was a flight from the east coast to San Francisco. Remembering that flights inbound from the East Coast are not common at Valley airports, it is true that the end destination for some of the air travelers that day was to the Valley. This was reinforced by imagery of two passengers reviewing brochures of Yosemite National Park. It is already known that the Valley is affected by terrorist activities. Sacramento has in recent years apprehended eco-terrorists that firebombed housing developments. Elk Grove's propane tanks were the target of one never acted upon terrorist plot of Anericans who also planned to topple Sacramento's TV antennas in the Galt area. Most notoriously, Hamid Hayat of Lodi was arrested and prosecuted recently for training in a terrorist camp in Pakistan, while father Umer Hayat has been released after being on trial for financially supporting terrorist activities.

ValleyVue does officially recommend the viewing of "United 93". Keep in mind this is not your average movie, (popcorn chomping is not recommended). Immerse yourself into an experience of remembrance and emotional turbulence. You may feel like you have been punched in the gut, and that is actually how we should feel. I was emotionally spent, and so were most of the audience. As I walked out of the theater, the lobby was full of people, but it was terribly silent. People will quietly file out, as if freshly stunned by the world-changing morning of 9/11. Without eliciting those feelings of inadequacy, fear, and in the end, determination, this movie would have been a failure. Instead, it delivered exactly as the subject matter required.