I finally went to see United 93 this past weekend in the theater and, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. The acting was amazing and the film was very well made, but after seeing A&E's Flight 93 movie on television, I felt it wasn't as emotionally gripping.
I'm sure that many who have not seen A&E's TV movie would find United 93 a moving tale of the horrible events on September 11, 2001. But, for me the difference Flight 93 had was that we saw the passenger's family members on the ground during the phone conversations. It brought the true human connection to it all, the family bond, the love we often take for granted. Except for scenes from ground control (United 93), everything took place on the plane and the phone converations were one-sided. It just didn't have the same emotional tug.
United 93 by far showed more than we ever knew about what happened on the ground in flight control. The logistics of it all and how everything played out was amazing. But, when it came to the incidents in the plane, while I saw many similarities to A&E's picture, there were key differences in the story telling.
- Flight 93 allowed us to get to know the passengers more, creating a greater emotional response. On United 93, there was less of that.
- United 93 showed the grusome stabbing. Flight 93 toned it down for TV.
- In Flight 93, the story showed the passengers planning to crash the plane. In the theater movie, the passengers planned to take control of the plane and during the commotion the hijacker purposefully put the plane into the ground.
- Flight 93 had an intense ending where we saw a Pennsylvania farmer duck as the 757 flew overhead, finally crashing behind some trees. We then saw a scene at the crashsite. United 93 only took place on the plane. We saw the ground coming closer and closer and then the picture went black, and the movie ended. That was a bit of a disappointment for a few people I spoke to.
Both films had their moments, but the feeling I had on 9/11 came with A&E's movie, not so much with United 93. I'd love to hear what you feel if you've seen both movies. Comment here to respond.
10 Comments
31 May 2006 at 07:37
I also saw both and agree with your analysis.
7 Sep 2006 at 11:52
Just rented and watched United 93. I saw Flight 93 back when it was first released on DVD. I agree with your analysis and would have to say Flight 93 is the far superior film. The movie, which I had low expectations for due it dealing with such a violent moment but made for a TV audience, wrenched at my heart and completely sucked me in. In contrast, United 93 was very dull and if it had not been for the subject matter the movie would have been completely forgettable. The last moments where the passengers charge the hijackers is well down and probably surpasses Flight 93 in this regard but the ending, where the screen just blacks out, leaves more to be desired. Also I felt United 93 seemed to be too concerned with showing how the government “screwed up” as while Flight 93 focused on the last moments of the passengers themselves. Flight 93 is a 4 star movie I would say and would rate pretty highly even if it were purely fiction. United 93 is about a 2 star movie and is only worth watching to see the passengers’ heroic final charge to retake the plan which unfortunately is based off of a true story.
8 Sep 2006 at 11:22
I think United 93 concerns mostly about the terrorists and how they planned to take over the plane by doin things and talking among themselves but as we look at Flight 93, yes it was more moving in a way that the phone conversations were what was most important because those we were last words ever to the ones they loved and those people on the ground will never forget em I Guarrantee You That. So in my opinion Flight 93 is the much better movie but they are both very touching and intense.
13 Sep 2006 at 14:07
I viewed United 93 and Flight 93 back to back to compare them. Although the realism depicted in United 93 is much higher, the emotional tie is stronger in Flight 93. I felt there was no aspect of hope that filtered through United 93. However, in Flight 93, the passangers courage to stop evil and replace it with hope was prevalent. For example, one passanger in particular, while talking on the phone, said the Lord’s prayer. I believe the courage of this man is the attitude all christians should have when oppressed with evil. We should always know that God is going to carrey us through with His “righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
16 Sep 2006 at 15:58
I do not agree with your analysis, i went to see United 93 at the cinema with my father and we both enjoyed it very much, so as his birthday approached i thought that i would get him it as a present however i accidently picked up Flight 93, upon watching it i realised my mistake and was very dissapointed with Flight 93, i found it very boring and it just didnt have the tension, as the terrorists were about to make their move. In Flight 93, all the action parts, including the storm of the cockpit happened far too quickly, and i thought that i had watched 80 minutes of film, for it all to be over in a few second, very dissapointing! However i can see what you are saying about the emotional ties, but for me i would much rather see patriotism and heroism in the storming of the cockpit! All in all i much preferred United 93, however i would watch Flight 93 again.
9 Nov 2006 at 11:50
Flight 93 is a horrible and corny made for television movie. The emotional appeal that was packed into the 80 minute film was sickening. The only reason you like the movie is because that is what YOU would like to remember of that tragic day. United 93 may not have been as emotionally appealing, but it took the shards of forgotten information about that day, and told a new story about the events that took place on that flight. In conclusion, these two films were based on what people wanted to remember about that day (“Flight 93″), and what people wanted to forget about that day (“United 93″).
13 Dec 2006 at 01:41
I saw Flight 93 first, and I thought it was “pretty good,” for a made-for-TV movie. I had MUCH higher expectations for United 93, with its bigger budget. As it turns out, I think Flight 93 was better written, and more artfully done. For instance, Flight 93 ended with time-lapse photography of the hole in the ground, turning to snow, and then blooming in the spring… what a nice metaphor of the “healing process.” United 93 ended with the screen going black, which is OK in a mediocre, first-year-film-student sort of way.
23 Mar 2007 at 09:14
I saw both movies and I agree with your coment. I’m from Argentina and first I saw flight 93. Before yesterday I saw united 93 in english class. I think that flight 93 shows the real acting of a normal person and sucked me in but united 93 doesn’t show many details that can bes very necesary for understand what really happend.
Agostina (16)
9 Jun 2008 at 04:42
So, as far as I am concerned, I LOVE united 93. I think it is far superior.. flight 93 appears to me as a cheap hollywood production that just wants to attract attention and a big emotional response. Things are shown that NOBODY could know. And I feel it is absolutely inappropriate to show the relatives of the passengers (like in flight 93) - to make it more tragic, a wife of a passenger carried a baby around ….
and the ending is also far better in united 93. anyone knows what happened. It was tragic enough, so I don’t have to watch it, just because it is something “sensational”. The development of the plot is also far superior in united 93 - in flight 93 they know from the beginning on that the hijackers have “MANY” planes. I can’t believe that a hijacker called and said “hey guys, we have hijacked some planes”. Not that obviously.
That was it
- I think you have noticed that I really like united 93.
20 Jul 2008 at 22:11
By FAR I agree Flight 93 was better then United 93!