A film about heroism, self-sacrifice, faith, friendship, love, and strong family bonds—but also about the suffering caused by those responsible for the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

At the heart of the film are the stories of several police officers and their families who responded to the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York. A group of main characters makes its way into the bowels of one of the WTC skyscrapers. Shortly thereafter, the tower collapses.

Three police officers who survived the building’s collapse are trapped beneath the rubble of the skyscraper. One of them, however, is relatively free and tries to help the others. After a while, though, he is buried again by falling debris and fatally injured.

The plot then interweaves scenes of the fears of the wives of Sergeants Chimen and McLaughlin and other loved ones of these police officers, alternating with dialogues between the trapped officers waiting for help, along with other tense situations.

The story also incorporates memories of moments the officers spent with their wives, as well as their dreams and visions.

Soldier Dave also decides to join the rescue efforts, perceiving his desire to go and save others as a calling from God. The rescue work is not easy, but after a long and arduous search, the first successes begin to emerge.

The film’s conclusion hints at how, during this difficult time, many people from different corners of the United States came together to express their solidarity.

USA, 2006

Director: Oliver Stone

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Connor Paolo, Michael Peña, Jay Hernandez, Jon Bernthal, Nick Damici, Jude Ciccolella, Nicholas Turturro, Danny Nucci, Tawny Cypress, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad William Henke, Donna Murphy, Nicky Katt, Michael Shannon, Wass Stevens, Jay Acovone, Arthur J. Nascarella, William Mapother, Stephen Dorff;

Parents Guide:

A prostitute in a short skirt provokes a police officer. A police officer’s wife wears a low-cut top. An intimate scene of a married couple kissing.
Swear words such as “idiot,” “moron,” and “crazy.” Frequent use of “oh my God,” 1 instance of “damn,” and 1 instance of “Jesus Christ.”
Multiple scenes of people smoking.
Shots of injured people. A man falling from a skyscraper. Explosions and collapsing buildings. Debris falling on police officers and a buried, dying police officer. Shots fired from a loaded gun threatening the buried police officers.

It is worthwhile to support quality art by purchasing it. Supporting good cinema not only helps in the creation of high-quality films but is also an expression of integrity and respect toward the filmmakers.