I posted this on Ms. Underestimated's site:

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Ms.Underestimated,

This was the most riveting review I have ever read. THANK YOU for posting it. I felt like I was with you the whole night and I still have tears in my eyes. Even your pre-screening accident was poignant, although I'm very sorry that happened to you.

You said, "I won't give away what happens in the details, but suffice it to say there are moments that I admittedly felt utter joy and glee when the heroes of the flight took decisive action." Are you referring to the manner in which the hijackers were subdued? I ask because if you ever read my blog, you know I have a very politicall, socially and religiously astute almost 13 year old daughter. She goes counter protesting with me, watches the news and keeps up with current events. She's very patriotic. She wanted to go with me to the illegal aliens march we had downtown a few weeks ago but I refused to take her, not knowing what we'd find there.

My question: is the violence in this movie inappropriate for a mature 13 year old? She's very upset that I won't let her see it. I have to screen it first. We have watched the Passion of the Christ, which is rated R, but the point of the voilence was something we as a family needed to see. Since we're an Army family and very outspoken in support of the war on terror, I think this is a movie that she also needs to see, just as you described you *needed* to see it. I know I certainly feel that about myself.

I'm wondering if you can shed some light on the language and violence. If it would give too much away to describe it here, perhaps you could e-mail me?

I have always said that there should be national re-airings of the actual events of 9/11 every month. Americans have gotten too far away from the reality of 9/11 and what it means to us. Once our emotions move on, so does the horror and reality of the death and destruction of our enemies. This is the very reason why we movies like Syriana can win an Academy Award in 2006... we're numbed to the reality of 9/11 because we don't remind ourselves of who was harmed and why.

I'd be interested to know this: after seeing this movie, what is your gut reaction to the rhetoric of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and others who relentlessly criticize the President, the surveillence program, Gitmo, the troops and the war in Iraq?

Again, wonderful recounting of this movie. I can't wait to see it.
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Her answer:

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Amy, to answer your questions, yes the film is violent and bloody in parts, but it's not that long nor that often. But it was necessary for at least my psyche.

A lot of the violence was the sheer terror instilled in the passengers by the Islamothugs, which you very much feel right along with them; just as you do their resolve once they realize what they have to do. I saw a few families there with children about your age, and they were all hugging as they left, so I'd say "yes, take your daughter." She, like you, needs to see this if for nothing else than historical content, because it is her generation that is growing up with this and will have to deal with it in the future.

As you can imagine, the foul language was in NORAD and the other military sites, as it was very chaotic. People in the traffic control towers do watch across the harbor and see the 2nd plane hit the 2nd building. At the same time, in the military locations and NORAD, they're watching it unfold on TV. In the control towers, they were just silent in disbelief - with the military personnell & the higher-ups in the FAA, however, their silence was followed by a few "fu**s," and "shits," but I'm certain that's what they really said those days.

I highly recommend you take your daughter to it. Weird how you should mention "The Passion of the Christ." Two friends of mine who saw that movie told me they had the same response after seeing that, that I felt and observed after United 93.

This is very much worth it. I was hoping there would be a place I could donate (in addition to the 10% of ticket sales for this weekend) to the memorial fund for United 93. My friend and I both left the theater and got in our cars and left. About 15 minutes away from the theater, my friend called me on my cell and said "we need to see that again." I was no longer choking back tears, now in the solitude of my vehicle driving alone - I was sobbing. I told him "yes, we should...soon."

AmyP,

I want to hold off on seeing the movie until I check out some more reviews. Frankly, I don't want to see yet another movie that tries to provoke sympathy ("another point of view") on the terrorists. I read a professional movie review where it says neither side is demonized... which immediately gives me cause for concern.

Trent, my understanding is that this movie, Flight 93, does NOT show any sympathy but actually paints them as the vile murderers that they are. Rush Limbaugh had a pre-screening of the movie and he said that by the end, there was no option but to hate the terrorists. It's supposed to be more of a documentary than a statement. In fact, the director of the movie is against the war in Iraq and is quite liberal, BUT he painted this account from an actual and historical perspective. While there might be some artistic license, I understand there isn't much.

I saw a tv version of it on A&E and I cried a lot. I am not sure if I want to subject myself to more of it.

On the attack on the recruiters, don't these people have anything better to do with their time? I mean come on?! I can't believe how much hatred these pathetic people are carrying around. Why don't they get a life and leave the ones that do have a life alone. If they hate our government so much, leave.

On the Muslims marching with illegals, good grief! They don't need that kind of help. My gosh, what is the country coming to? Our military is being attacked by their own people and illegal immigrants are marching down our streets protesting what? The right to continue breaking our laws? When is this garbage going to end?

Trent, after watching the movie last night, I feel that I can tell you that the film is not "sympathetic", per se, to one side more than the other. I feel that it was a fairly straight-forward movie showing human fallability in abundance. But, most importantly, we saw the terrorists' full planning and complete complicity in the attacks. They were NOT innocent, and the movie starkly portrays that. They wilfully created chaos and killed people for their un-Godly cause. We were fully unprepared for an attack on our soil, and we see that, too, to cringe-worthy effect. So, no, the terrorists weren't unfairly demonized for the purpose of engendering hate against all Muslims, nor were the passengers made into glorified heroes, but cause and effect was shown. And rather well, I thought. Hope that helps.

Amy, I was sort of surprised by the "R" rating, given that I've seen more graphic violence on "24" (primetime Monday nights). In United 93, violence is blurred, and thematic, not gratuitous. There may be shocking scenes after the stabbing. For the sake of history, that's what we can imagine happened. There is a slightly nudish scene in the beginning...I can email you about it, if you wish. The F-bombs were mostly as the events escalated and they were mostly in the NORAD center. The words shocked me, but I felt they were appropriate to the situation. Did you know that many of the actual folks played themselves in the movie? I think that helps lend some realism. They may've said those very words in those moments!!

Your 13-year old, being politically active and relatively mature, may benefit a lot from this movie, and it will be best for you to be there with her. Of course. ;-) That way, you can be right there to hug and talk with each other afterwards.

Also, the folks on that flight were heroes. Unlikely, sure, but that's what makes what they did all the more heroic. I didn't mean to make them sound less than they were in my earlier post. oops.

Leticia,

Understandable. I feel like one of the smartest things any person can do is to learn from history. This is a vital part of American history. I also think one of the most honoring things any person can do is to honor victims. These are just some of the reasons why Flight 93, or TV documentaries on the subject, are so important, IMO.

I also think it's vitual in understanding why we are engaged in a global war on terror. The war in Iraq and 9/11 cannot be divorced. It is the same enemy, the same tactics, the same objective: kill Americans. Seeing American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan is one thing; seeing American civilians killed at home evokes a whole 'nother emotion. We need to feel it.

This is a war unlike the war against communism and fascism. This is a war of religion and freedom. I am heavily engaged in this war because 1) I'm an American and 2) I'm an Army wife. I understand that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities", which is why prayer and supporting those doing the good work of fighting spiritual and physical enemies is vital to success. UNITED WE WIN.

I did see Flight 93 last night with my daughter. Oddly, it seemed more like a PG or PG-13 movie. I have never seen an R movie in the theater (I've seen Black Hawk Down at home, Passion of the Christ, etc.), but in reality Lord of the Rings was more violent. I was pretty surprised it had such a rating.

Princess, I always LOVE it when you comment! You're such a good person. I agree about your description of the violence on TV vs. this movie.

I DID notice how many people played themselves! I thought that added to the reality of the entire situation. And I'm really glad they didn't use Hollywood actors. That would make it more of a "movie" than a retelling of a true story.

I saw it tonight.

The violence in the movie is primarily implied. I
never really gave it much thought but it stands to
reason that the hijackers would have to kill at least
a few of the passengers and crew in order to seize
control of the plane and also to prove that they were
serious. That being said, the throats that get slit
and other things are almost always shown from behind
or just out of camera. Really, it's worse to imagine
it than to actually see it, in my opinion, but morally
speaking I think one is just about as bad as the
other.

The only exception to this (that I can think of) is
immediately when the hijackers make their move. The
hijacker who shouts the pro-"allah" phrase in Arabic
immediately stands up and stabs one of the passengers
in the neck. Blood squirts out of his neck (not in a
stylized Tarantino kind of way; if CSI ever got this
gritty, they'd probably have something similar) and,
all told, it's a pretty gruesome shot. There are
other instances of blood in the movie but the blood is
really all we see, not the acts of violence
themselves. Like I said, it's mostly implied or
(cinematically) obscured.

After the plane crashes, there's a fairly
inappropriate rant about what was and wasn't done
regarding Flight 93. Greengrass, who had been so
careful to avoid editorializing throughout the film,
loses control a little bit here and seems to condemn
the lack of communication. To me, it's complete
Monday-morning quarterbacking here. It's easy to sit
back now and judge what everybody did right and wrong,
but the simple fact of the matter is that (1) these
attacks came out of nowhere (2) there was
misinformation, miscommunication and confusion six
ways from Sunday (3) things were simply happening too
fast for everyone to coordinate with each other about
what was happening.

Frankly, I'm proud of the authorities who stepped up
to the plate under such trying circumstances to fight
this catastrophe. Everyone in the film is shown doing
their deadlevel best to save innocent lives and,
ultimately, that should be the real message of the
heroism we witnessed on 9/11.

It's by no means a PG-rated movie but I think most
13/14+ year old kids can handle the level of violence
in this movie. It will shock them and you and,
frankly, it's supposed to.

One other thing. I was concerned about Greengrass
sympathizing with the hijackers. You were right, he
never does that. In fact, beyond the Islam we're
given no insight into their motives and, perhaps
ironically, Greengrass absolutely nails that aspect of
the movie. The Islamists are motivated by visions of
a bordello "paradise" with their 42 or however many
virgins as well as punishing the infidel.

I've seen some criticism of the film for not really
developing the passengers on the plane. Frankly I
don't have a problem with that. We, the audience,
aren't meant to identify with them as characters in a
film, we're meant to identify with them as fellow
Americans and human beings. In that context,
character development would actually weaken what the
movie strives for. This is the story of heroic
Americans, not heroic characters. They were clearly
scared out of their minds and who can blame them? But
their heroism remains as inspiration to us all.

I wish I had the same type of moviegoing experience as
the reviewer you linked to, but my screening was only
sparsely attended, primarily by younger 20-somethings
who will go home, drink a six pack and party.

PS.... I posted this above. Trent sent me an e-mail and gave me permission to post it. I thought it was an interesting review!

I'm glad to hear Trent's feedback! :-)