A Film Review By Clyde Ayles

POWERFUL 

Sept. 11, 2001. This powerful film by OLIVER STOME starts out with the awakening of a brand new day in New York City.We se travelers on the trains and subways on their way to their places of employment. There are workers already doing their jobs on the streets. It is a peaceful day. We see the Port Athority Police Department starting the day. Then disaster. Two planes are crashed into the tallest buildings of the World Trade Center, one after the other. Police Sgt. John McLoughlin (Academy Award winner NICOLAS CAGE) directs his men to the scene, not fully realizeing how horrible the the whole thing is.                                              The film centers on Sgt. McLoughlin and his partner Officer Will Jimeno (MICHAEL PENA) as they are trapped under the rubble after the building collapes. The film goes back and forth  to the present and the past as the two men reflect on their lives. You can feel the emotion as the wifes (MAGGIE GLLENHAAL and MARIA BELLO) and the family await word of their loved ones.                                                                                             Director Stone does not show the details of the airline crashing into the building. We see the shadow of the plane as it heads to it's target.                                                                     This is a very powerful and emotional film that is very well done. It is a fine tribute to America.     SEE YA AT THE MOVIES   CLYDE