Rated PG-13 for intense and emotional content, some disturbing images and language.
Directed by Oliver Stone (Born on the 4th of July, JFK, Platoon…)
Starring Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena
About time Stone.
Oliver Stone is not my favorite director. The guy gives “fiction” a new meaning. His typical portrayal of history is about as accurate as Scorcese’s Last Temptation…
But Stone surprises us with a heartwarming film about two Port Authority Police caught in the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Centers.
The script is creative with clever dialogue and flashbacks. The performances are outstanding. Cage steps out of his typical role that you’ve seen him play 100 times and plays a real life hero with authenticity. And Michael Pena kept pace with the veterans that surrounded him, earning serious props in the film community that will probably launch his name to something more than “that Mexican guy from Crash.
It was nice to see a film about some of the true heroes of this disaster. We’ve seen several portrayals of Flight 93 and a TV special about the events leading to 9/11. But World Trade Center centers on the lives of the firefighters, police and their families. I’ve always been a huge admirer of those running into the two burning buildings while everyone else was running out.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
I will definitely be showing this film to my kids when it gets to DVD. The PG-13 is because of some of the intense scenes of peril and emotional content. So parents of young children might want to use discretion. There is no sex or nudity.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
