Movie Review: World Trade Center

In the movie "World Trade Center," director/producer Oliver Stone and screenwriter Andrea Berloff tell the story of two of only twenty survivors who were pulled from the ruble and the story of their families and a world watching the horror unfold on television. With a combination of painstaking detail and tactful emotion, they depict an event that is overwhelming on its own.

In the 2006 drama “World Trade Center”, the four lead actors all give wonderful performances, as people dealing with the emotions of being trapped.

Peña and Gyllenhaal, as the eager rookie cop and his headstrong and practical wife, are especially compelling adding even further to the reality of the movie.


This well-crafted World captures the panic and confusion surrounding the tragedy and serves as a worthy tribute to the heroes of that day. But it's not the devastating, gut-wrenching experience you might expect. With a unique look and feel and a jumpy script that removes the watcher from the drama is a great, but at the same time difficult to accomplish. Stone's safe “World Trade Center” is a fine film, but not what was expected by me and stands what I think as a respectful tribute.

Stone uses great camera angels, and special effects. An example: In one scene where the men are trapped in the tower, the camera pulls back from Cage and Peña's motionless body, sails through the hole in the wreckage above them, and continues to rise until it shows us all of Lower Manhattan and, finally, the whole Earth from space, as seen by a satellite. I think this special effect is symbolic for a “scar” on the earth. More so, how this wasn’t just effecting New York, but the world.

It’s a vividly designed piece of cinema, with equally brilliant acting by Cage and Peña, who have only their faces and voices to work with through much of the film, while trapped under the debris. While they wait, they whisper tales of their families and their lives, and at one point the image of Christ appears to Jimeno which is an emotional moment in the film.

Stone weaves the story back and forth also taking us outside the building to witness the after effects of the disaster on bystanders, rescuers and the families of the trapped men. Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal are terrific as the McLoughlin’s and Jimeno’s wives, who are angry, terrified, and helpless as their husbands are in the building.

Overall I would give this film an A-, and I would highly encourage anyone to go see it.