As the creator of some of the most stunning and politically charged films of our time, Oliver Stone has never been one to shy away from the hotbed issues of society. He is constantly surrounded by controversy and has even earned the nickname “Mr. Conspiracy” for his so-called hidden agendas when it comes to filmmaking. So when I first heard that a film capturing the tragedy of 9/11 was going to be made, I was not surprised to see his name attached.
Regardless of his public perception, Stone has proven himself to be an extremely gifted director and what he achieves with “World Trade Center” is virtually unlike anything he has ever done before.
It follows the compelling story of John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, two Port Authority Police Officers who became trapped under the rubble for twelve hours following the collapse of the North tower’s elevator shaft and fought desperately to stay alive. Each officer woke up on the morning of September 11th, 2001 like it was just another day on the job, but ultimately became involved in one of the most catastrophic events the United States has ever faced.
Since the majority of the film takes place beneath the rubble, it relies heavily on the performances of its cast to keep it going. Nicolas Cage and Michael Peña deliver their roles with such effortless sincerity that they should be applauded for trying to make the film as authentic as possible. Cage is one of those actors that no matter what character he is playing, he always makes it believable. His take on McLoughlin proves to be no different.
His scenes with Peña are full of so much heartfelt emotion that it is hard to imagine what their real life counterparts actually went through. Michael Peña displays superb acting talent as Jimeno and shows why he is a vastly talented up and coming actor who will undoubtedly have a solid career in the future. It is the bond formed between these two courageous men that enabled them to find the strength to carry on under such severe conditions and Stone makes that a focal point throughout the film.
This film works, because it is not really about the attack itself, but rather how the city of New York came together and responded in a time of great need. It is this reason alone that makes it a very worthwhile film about the true nature of the human spirit and how no matter what life throws at us, Americans will never back down in the face of evil.
As if the performances by Cage and Peña weren’t impressive enough, the work of Stone’s production team in creating an incredible duplication of Ground Zero on a Los Angeles soundstage is also worthy of recognition. They have done an astonishing job reconstructing the sights and sounds from that horrific day and the film is that much more realistic because of it.
Strong Oscar consideration should be given to both Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal for their moving portrayals of the wives who are left to deal with the possibility that their husbands may not be coming home.
Although it’s not as haunting as Paul Greengrass’s “United 93”, "WTC" does have many inspiring elements that in the end make it a faithfully engaging and patriotic film that doesn’t disappoint.The combination of Stone’s brilliant production team and a tightly written script from Andrea Berloff make “World Trade Center” a very meaningful film for those who decide to see it. I believe that the story already had the makings of a pretty good movie, but just needed the right director to make everything come together and in that respect, Oliver Stone has certainly succeeded.
- *** ½ out of 4
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