I applaud NYC fire fighters and their plight. I salute the incredible people of NYC and how they have risen above this horrorific day. I have an incredible amount of respect for the film makers and marvel at the bravery they demonstrated that day (staying in the tower to film, etc.).
Indeed, during a recent trip to NYC, I was taken by how the city has seemed to bounce back from 9/11. To me, the NYFD and NYPD are celebrities and heros.
However, this film is worth seeing only for the footage and hearing the tales, firsthand, from the people who were there. The glorification of this day in this film is sickening. It becomes obvious that once the brothers who originally posessed this footage handed it over to TV executives, it became something all together different than it should have. I agree with others that narraration is far too distracting and obtrusive.
Having scripted dialogue in a film like this is insulting. These firefighters are articulate, interesting men who don't need one of their own rattling off the events of that day from a script. Let their own words and pictures do the talking.
That being said, the footage that was gathered makes this movie worth seeing (I could do without the hanging of the flag...an image that we had seen all over the world a million times at this point). While I respect the patriotism that came out of this horrific event, it has very little to do with the actual event itself or the people directly involved. I'll bet that not a single person was trying to get out of those buildings for their country, or singing the national anthem while running for their lives. No, they were trying to save their lives for the sake of themselves, their families and friends. Not one firefighter in this film says anything that can be deemed political or patriotic because, for them, getting out of those buildings wasn't about America. That is, after all, what this film is about (excepting the sub-plot of the rookie firefighter)....surviving that terrible day.
It wasn't nessasary to show the flag being hung and cheered. The world was crying for America and we all know that. In Canada, the stars and stripes were hung everywhere in support of our friends to the south. What we need to see is the human element of this story, not the cheering squad.
The moral: never hand over indie footage to network big-wigs trying to drum up patriotism and anger. Let the horrific images speak for themselves for the people of America are smart enough to figure things out without having the flag shoved down their throats.
God bless America, New York and the world.
Indeed, during a recent trip to NYC, I was taken by how the city has seemed to bounce back from 9/11. To me, the NYFD and NYPD are celebrities and heros.
However, this film is worth seeing only for the footage and hearing the tales, firsthand, from the people who were there. The glorification of this day in this film is sickening. It becomes obvious that once the brothers who originally posessed this footage handed it over to TV executives, it became something all together different than it should have. I agree with others that narraration is far too distracting and obtrusive.
Having scripted dialogue in a film like this is insulting. These firefighters are articulate, interesting men who don't need one of their own rattling off the events of that day from a script. Let their own words and pictures do the talking.
That being said, the footage that was gathered makes this movie worth seeing (I could do without the hanging of the flag...an image that we had seen all over the world a million times at this point). While I respect the patriotism that came out of this horrific event, it has very little to do with the actual event itself or the people directly involved. I'll bet that not a single person was trying to get out of those buildings for their country, or singing the national anthem while running for their lives. No, they were trying to save their lives for the sake of themselves, their families and friends. Not one firefighter in this film says anything that can be deemed political or patriotic because, for them, getting out of those buildings wasn't about America. That is, after all, what this film is about (excepting the sub-plot of the rookie firefighter)....surviving that terrible day.
It wasn't nessasary to show the flag being hung and cheered. The world was crying for America and we all know that. In Canada, the stars and stripes were hung everywhere in support of our friends to the south. What we need to see is the human element of this story, not the cheering squad.
The moral: never hand over indie footage to network big-wigs trying to drum up patriotism and anger. Let the horrific images speak for themselves for the people of America are smart enough to figure things out without having the flag shoved down their throats.
God bless America, New York and the world.