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World Trade Center
2006 129 min United States of America, Germany PG-13 16+
★6.3
Drama, History, Thriller
Director: Oliver Stone
Trailers
Description
Two police officers struggle to survive when they become trapped beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Budget:
$65M
US Gross:
$70.28M
Worldwide:
$163.2M
Starring
Nicolas Cage
Actor
Michael Peña
Actor
Maria Bello
Actor
Awards
4 wins & 12 nominations total
Key opinion
World Trade Center is widely viewed as a respectful, grounded memorial that shifts focus away from political commentary and grand-scale disaster tropes toward the intimate, claustrophobic experiences of survivors. While many critics praise its emotional sincerity and commitment to factual, human-centric storytelling, others find the film's departure from Oliver Stone's signature directorial flair and its sometimes static, melodrama-heavy approach to be underwhelming.
| Theme | The film succeeds as a somber, respectful memorial that prioritizes the personal trauma of ordinary victims over nationalistic spectacle or political agenda. | |
| Production | Meticulous set design and realistic visual effects effectively convey the claustrophobic, suffocating atmosphere of being trapped beneath the rubble. | |
| Direction | Oliver Stone uncharacteristically abandons his distinct, provocative directorial style, resulting in a film that some find surprisingly conventional and lacking in artistic identity. | |
| Acting | The performance of Nicolas Cage is polarizing; some viewers find his grounded portrayal of a trapped officer compelling and complex, while others feel his star power and physical appearance distract from the realism of the story. | |
| Pacing | The deliberate, slow-burning tempo is seen by some as essential for building emotional weight and intimacy, while others find the two-hour runtime tedious and lacking in narrative momentum. |