Remembering 9/11 - “World Trade Center” and “United 93”
- Matt Palmer
- Sep 9, 2025
- 6 min read
The anniversary of 9/11 is this week and I wanted to take a look at both “World Trade Center” and “United 93” (a first time watch for this one).
In the 2006 film “World Trade Center,” two Port Authority officers, Sgt. John McLoughlin and Officer Will Jimeno, become trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center after going in to help people from the buildings during the attacks.
The 2006 film “World Trade Center” was the second film focusing on 9/11 - released a few months after “United 93”. Despite the audiences coming to check out these films during their initial theatrical releases, the films did some with quite a bit of controversy between the surviving family members and numerous people wondering whether five years later was too soon to release films about 9/11 - which honestly they should have waited a bit longer.
For the most part, this 2006 film is a very devastating and moving portrayal of heroism and survival. The film’s primary focus on the experiences of McLoughlin and Jimeno being trapped under the rubble were truly compelling and the performances from Nicolas Cage (who surprisingly didn’t overact like usual) and Michael Pena are extremely believable and emotional.
“World Trade Center” features quite a few moments throughout the film that you can easily remember after watching the film. Immediately after the towers collapse, the officers keep each other awake and alert by talking about their families, which is a testament to the human spirit’s will to survive. We also see the arduous and very emotional process of rescuing the officers. It was also deeply moving seeing all of the people doing everything they possibly can to rescue them.
MPA: PG-13 for intense and emotional content, some disturbing images and language (runtime 129 minutes).
In the 2006 film “United 93,” on Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists seized control of United Airlines Flight 93 and three other planes. As realization of the imminent horror dawns on passengers, crew and loved ones on the ground, the courageous acts by those hostages in the air count down in actual time.
Now, while “World Trade Center” is a fine depiction of a harrowing story, “United 93” really gives us a truly emotional look at the events of United Airlines Flight 93. This particular film is a moving and heart-breaking tribute that is filmed documentary-style and the intense realism that the film delivers.
Quite a few of the scenes throughout “United 93” can be so incredibly vigorous and powerful that, at times, it feels like you’re there with the passengers. While this film can be extremely emotional, the final moments are beyond heart-breaking as we see the passengers try to take the plane back - and we know how this ended.
While “United 93” is a difficult film to watch (actually both of them can be hard to watch), the film does an outstanding job capturing the confusion, panic and fear of the day but also highlights the human instinct for survival and the remarkable courage displayed by the passengers.
MPA: Rated R for language, and some intense sequences of terror and violence (runtime 111 minutes)
You can currently find “World Trade Center” and “United 93” on the Peacock streaming service and various PVOD rental services.
The city of New York absolutely prohibited the recreation of 9/11 destruction or chaos on location. The filmmakers were not even allowed to film actors looking upward toward where the towers would be. The drive of the officers up to the site was permitted to be filmed, but all scenes depicting events at or near the WTC were filmed in Los Angeles.
Fifty real-life members of PAPD, NYPD and FDNY (some of whom participated in the actual rescue) were flown to Los Angeles to film the chain of men moving stretchers out of the rubble.
Test audiences believed that Dave Karnes (Michael Shannon), the former Marine, was a Hollywood invention. This is, in fact, a true story that occurred. Karnes later re-enlisted in the Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Iraq. Also, as reported by the Associated Press on August 14, 2006, the Marine identified only as Sergeant Thomas (who disappeared shortly after 9/11) has been identified as Jason Thomas, a former Marine who grabbed his uniform and immediately drove to Ground Zero to help. Because his identity was unknown at the time of filming, Sgt. Thomas - who is black - was portrayed by William Mapother, a white man. The producers have since apologized to Sgt. Thomas for the miscasting. Thomas has laughed it off and told them not to be concerned, stating, "I don't want to shed any negativity on what they were trying to show."
Made with the full cooperation of the New York Port Authority, which allowed filming on location in their headquarters, and provided real uniforms and equipment for the production.
When John McLoughlin arrives on scene and leaves his vehicle, a fire truck numbered 55 drives past behind him. Actor Steve Buscemi was once a New York City firefighter who was part of Engine 55. After 9/11 he returned to his engine company to volunteer with other firefighters digging through rubble, searching for missing firefighters and victims.
Three weeks before its August 9 nationwide release, producer Michael Shamberg and director Oliver Stone held private screenings of the finalized film for Port Authority officers and firefighters who risked their lives at the World Trade Center. The screenings were held in local multiplexes in the New Jersey/New York area.
Was one of two 9/11 inspired films to be released in the same year, the other being United 93 (2006), based on the flight of the same name which crashed into a Pennsylvania field.
Mel Gibson was one of director Oliver Stone's first choices for the role of Sgt. John McLoughlin. Gibson liked the script very much, but turned it down to direct Apocalypto (2006).
The highest grossing feature film of the 2000s about the events of September 11th, at over $162 million worldwide. Its opening weekend gross of $18.7 million was the best of Oliver Stone's career.
To make the movie as authentic as possible, director Paul Greengrass cast a number of real-life participants in the events of September 11, 2001, to play themselves. The principal "real-life role" in the movie is Ben Sliney, the FAA's National Operations Manager, who made the decision on 9/11 to shut down all air traffic operations in the United States. Sliney had just been promoted to the National Operations Manager position, and September 11, 2001 was his first day on the job. That explains the applause from the FAA flight monitors when he walks into the control center in Herndon, VA, at the beginning of the movie. Several officials who were with Sliney in the FAA control room on 9/11 play themselves, including Tobin Miller, Rich Sullivan, and Tony Smith. In the scenes at Newark Airport, several air traffic controllers who were in the Newark control tower on 9/11, and who witnessed the air attacks on the World Trade Center, play themselves. At the air traffic monitoring centers in Boston, New York, and Cleveland, the air traffic monitors are all played by real-life air traffic controllers, including several who were at these locations on 9/11, and who monitored the hijacked flights. At the Northeast Air Defense Command Center (NEADS) in Rome, NY, most of the military personnel are played by real-life military air traffic controllers, including several people, notably Major James Fox, who were at NEADS on 9/11. Also, on United Flight 93, the actors playing the pilots in the movie are real-life airline pilots, and the flight attendants are played by real-life flight attendants, some of whom work for United Airlines.
The actors who played the hijackers and the actors who played the passengers and crew were kept in separate hotels during filming. They also worked out in separate gyms and did not eat meals together. The director wanted to capture the separation, fear, and hostility between the two groups.
Families of the 40 passengers and crew members killed on United Flight 93 cooperated in the production, offering director Paul Greengrass detailed background about their loved ones, down to the clothes they wore, the reading materials or music they had, their personal characteristics/mannerisms, and the snacks they might have brought aboard.
United 93's flight crew is portrayed by real pilots and flight attendants, some of whom work for United Airlines.
The filmmakers donated a percentage of the opening weekend proceeds to the Flight 93 memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. They donated over $1.15 million.
Almost none of the passengers are referred to by name. Their identities remain anonymous, emphasizing the group effort over any individual heroics. Also, strangers on a plane would not know each other's names.
Initial screenings ended with the closing credits line "America's war on terror had begun." In the release version, it was replaced with "Dedicated to the memory of all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001."
Ranked #16 in Entertainment Weekly's "The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever."
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