Review of World Trade Center
Directed by Oliver Stone
In Paramount Pictures World Trade Center, director Oliver Stone has tackled one of the most significant events of our time -- the 9/11 attacks on New York City and the collapse of the Twin Towers. Similar to Universal's recent United 93, which ostensibly was a faithful cinematic depiction of the events that took place on that flight, this film attempts to tell the true story of people who heroically carried out their duties during the earth-shaking events of that day. United 93 played more like a propaganda piece for the so-called "War on Terror" than an complete and accurate document of the events of that flight, and this film shares some of that feeling as well. The difference however, is that while United 93 maintained a stark tone of emotional detachment and an eerie sense of impending doom, Stone's film inspires hope and provides us with light at the end of the tunnel, where Greengras left us with only darkness.
Prior to seeing this film I was curious how Hollywood rebel Stone would treat such controversial material, and due to what I had heard, wondered if this film, like United 93, would function as a subtle justification for the Bush administrations systematic attempts to strip away our civil liberties and create a fascist police-state in the 21st Century; all in the name of national security. It would be hard to imagine that a man who made such brilliantly piercing exposes of American political corruption as JFK and Nixon, as well as the colorful hallucinogenic rant against a mass media fueled culture of violence, Natural Born Killers, could participate in such an undertaking.
According to many reports Oliver Stone took great pains to make a factually accurate film in World Trade Center. He even enlisted the services of many of the same crews who attempted to rescue those trapped under the debris; as he felt this was crucial in preserving authenticity. But he does not, however, venture into the tempestuous world of politics, or explore any of the possible motivations that the perpetrators of this infamous day's horrors might have had -- and for good reason.
With the box office and critical failure that was Alexander hanging over his head, Stone must have been hyper-aware that his ability to secure financing and a studio "greenlight" for any significant project would be questionable at best. So, it is easy to understand why Stone might soften up a bit, and perhaps give in to studio demands about not only the kind of film he would make, but more importantly, its' tone.
World Trade Center is a very important film for Paramount and new chief Brad Grey, who is certainly trying to establish himself as a legitimate Hollywood Heavyweight. In addition to the $63 million it cost the studio to make the movie, they reportedly spent $35 million on marketing and enlisted the services of Creative Response Concepts to, as Peter Travers of Rolling Stone says, "curry favor for the film among conservatives and the Christian right." There is clearly alot at stake on this project.
Bearing all of this in mind, it is no small feat that Stone has managed to create and emotionally potent and technically masterful testament to the heroism displayed by many brave souls on that fateful September day. He focused on the stories of two Port Authority police officers, John McLoughlin (Nicholas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Pena). Both officers were at Ground Zero and their stories are real, rather than dramatic fiction. Cage reportedly lived with McLoughlin for a week to learn about the man behind the uniform, and his performance is strong and steady, and carries the narrative along. In contrast to Cage's stoic courage, Pena conveys a boyish charisma and even shares his dream with his Sgt. as the two men bond, struggling to survive while trapped in the rubble of the collapsed towers; "Ever since I was six, All I wanted was to be a cop," says Jimeno -- and we believe him.
Stone has made a different kind of film here; it's as if he told himself that this story is so fresh and raw in people's minds that he would have to hold himself back in his directorial style; refrain from the explosive "in your face" scenes that he has come to be known for. Here he is more gentle, more focused, and yet the film remains powerful. He uses close-ups not excessively, but plentifully and to great effect in this film. Aside from the moments that McLoughlin and Jimeno share underneath tons of concrete and steal, their wives Donna (Maria Bello) and Allison (Maggie Gyllenhaal) deftly portray the desperation these women must have felt watching the news reports and not knowing if they would ever see their husbands again. Bello, in particular also shines in several flashback scenes in which McLoughlin recalls meaningful moments with his wife. We sense there is something amiss in the relationship however, and Bello conveys this with grace. Stone is to be credited here as well, as his direction surely helps this ensemble tread that delicate tightrope thread of pathos, tetering, but not falling into sentimentality.
Perhaps the films' most fascinating character is that of Karnes, a former Marine who feels that God has called him to duty. He thus single-mindedly drives from Connecticut to New York on a kind of Christian Vision Quest to help find and save survivors. His character, like those of McLoughlin and Jimeno, was really there, even though he probably appears to most to be nothing more than Stone and Berloff's Hollywood creation. When Karnes arrives at Ground Zero clean shaven and in uniform, he gazes at the mountain of burning metal and cryptically proclaims that "It's like God made a curtain of smoke to protect us from what we're not ready to see."
Andrea Berloff's screenplay is essentially a story of hope, and it is this aspect that apparently attracted Stone to it. He says he wanted to make a film that transcended 9/11 and that speaks to people in crisis everywhere. He seemed determined to transmit this vision; that compassion and self-sacrifice are human virtues that often thrive in an environment of suffering and despair.
There are subtle moments of jingoism and metaphorical flag waving that were surely designed to increase the films' appeal to Middle-America and the Right. Although these snippets of dialogue are transparent, the overall emotional power and dramatic thrust of the film are not diminished.
Both the visual and sound design of World Trade Center are fantastic and contribute to the visceral impact of the piece. While watching it all unfold, I really felt like I was trapped there along with the heroes. At one point I actually had olfactory hallucinations and thought I could smell dust and pulverized concrete as McLoughlin and Jimeno encouraged eachother to hang on to life in the desolate remains.
For those seeking answers and illumination, World Trade Center is likely to leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled. It is more or less a straighforward narrative drama and totally lacks the detailed analysis and historical exposition of a film like JFK. But for those seeking an emotional and engaging movie going experience, WTC does deliver. This film's redemption lies in its life affirming message of hope, as well as the familiar but nonetheless valuable praise for the strength of family and the transcendent power of self-sacrifice and human brotherhood.
