World Trade Center, Another Visit To the Site of "Ground Zero"

Oliver Stone, a man who I don't agree with often in regard to politics and revisionist history did do a fine job in producing and filming his film "Ground Zero."

Here's my take of his take.

Seven days after 9/11 my wife and I went down to Ground Zero to be witness to the carnage. We were not drawn there like rubberneckers to a car crash. This was different. We both felt that we needed to support our city and to live history as it was happening.

As we came out of the subway we saw the ruins of the buildings, dust six inches deep on window ledges and smelled the awful odors of death and destruction. It's something my wife and I will never forget. We brought one of our daughters then 13 years old to be witness too.

During our day at "Ground Zero" and its surroundings we saw hundreds of our civil servants and private citizens working together in the fast fading rescue efforts that would shortly become that of recovery.

Why See It?

When I found out about this film I was pleased to hear the buzz that this was NOT an Oliver Stone conspiracy film or pushing an agenda. It was to be an account of survivors who happened to be members of the Port Authority Police. That also drew me to the film. My dad was a NYC police officer who served in lower Manhattan and I had always wanted to follow his footsteps. I didn't. For reasons not important to dictate here, I won't tell that story.

Some people felt it is too soon to see such a film. I believe quite differently. This film is not about politics, it's about heroism and we need to always respect and honor our heroes, those who dedicate their lives to other people. This is a film about people helping people.

The Plot

The World Trade Center begins with NYC waking to a new day as dawn breaks. The cops are just coming onto a new shift and are given orders for the day when tragedy hits lower Manhattan. They respond. We learn there are volunteers for a rescue mission in one of the towers. A few men step forward to follow Sergeant John McLaughlin (Nicholas Cage) into the building. Will Jimeno (Michael Pena)is one of those brave men who are shown as fearful for their own lives yet go on to do their duty. We follow those officers as they attempt to rescue others, only to become the "mission" of others to be found.

Reason For The Film

This movie was written by Andrea Berloff who based it on the actual true story as told by the McLaughlin, Jimeno and their wives. We see the action as the officers experienced a world that was literally turned upside down and on the other end as the their wives' lives were figuratively turned upside down and inside out wondering if their husbands were dead or alive.

During the film we are introduced to many heroes, men just doing their job. At film's beginning we see the firefighters donning their heavy gear and going up into the building as survivors were leaving it. We were reminded by a black officer covered in dust and never to be seen again as he walks through the doors that, "good men" were still inside. During the hours of that first day we become witness to many who felt a calling to be there. We see people from other states who needed to do something arrive to do whatever they could. Many out of towners cooked meals for the rescuers. We see a one time medic, that was there to volunteer, become a life saver. A marine from another state is compelled by duty to respond to ground zero. He gets his hair cut close, puts on his fatigues, and goes on a "mission" he believes he is destined to.

The film, though about the rescue efforts of officers in need, both subtlety and blatantly shows the need for so many to help in some way. At film's end we are asked to remember the day for all the good that it showed, that of the human nature of strangers to come together and work together in the face of tragedy.

It was also good to see a scene where one of the wives of an officer who was hopefully being rescued make a connection with a woman whose son, also missing, was an elevator operator in one of the towers. This served as a reminder that besides so many of our public servants, our heroes, who lost their lives, there were many many other innocent people were a part of this tragedy too. We were reminded that people from 87 different countries also died on that site 9/11/01.

Last Thoughts

This was not a film about 9/11 as a political or worldwide issue. It was an examination a few men and their families and how they dealt with the fears of death. These families were but a microcosm of all the events that were happening those first few days. Who was alive? Who would never walk back into their homes again? 2,749 people never did.

The film was brilliantly filmed and the sets and digital effects were outstanding. You felt you were looking at real World Center. There was some archive film used to enhance the film too.

Though the film's acting was solid and well rounded with good presentations from those playing rescue workers, survivors, and their families, there were no stand outs as actors, though there were some characters I will not quickly forget. I felt that was good. The film to me wasn't about acting. It was a story of the good in human nature and Stone's direction did just that. He masterfully told the story of relationships between husbands and wives through a few flash backs but more in the actual experience they went through and their yearning to see each other again.

The film was pretty evenly paced but did slow down a bit near the end. I believe that also reflected the time when survivors were losing hope. I didn't know who would survive and who would live. I also thought Stone's handling of individual faith was well done.

One Final Thought

On the day my wife and I went into the city, one week after 9/11, it was sad to see impromptu memorials for the dead, but most disturbing was the plethora of signs and pictures on walls and fences of missing persons. Many family and friends of the lost were being torn apart by unanswered pleas in finding their loved ones.

This story was about some of the very few, only twenty in total, who survived the crushing power of the collapse of The World Trade Center's two towers on 9/11/01.

Fortunately we still have so many more of those brave men and woman who are our heroes and still continue to defend us in some way, every day. I believe Oliver Stone reminds us well.



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