- Cast & crew
- User reviews
A real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on September 11th, 2001 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plo... Read all A real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on September 11th, 2001 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot. A real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on September 11th, 2001 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.
- Paul Greengrass
- David Alan Basche
- Olivia Thirlby
- Liza Colón-Zayas
- 905 User reviews
- 146 Critic reviews
- 90 Metascore
- 29 wins & 57 nominations total
- Todd Beamer
- Nicole Carol Miller
- Waleska Martinez
- (as Liza Colon-Zayas)
- Captain Jason M. Dahl
- First Officer LeRoy Homer
- Deborah Welsh
- CeeCee Lyles
- Wanda Anita Green
- Sandra Bradshaw
- Lorraine G. Bay
- William Joseph Cashman
- Jane Folger
- Joseph DeLuca
- Thomas E. Burnett, Jr.
- Linda Gronlund
- Colleen Fraser
- Deora Frances Bodley
- (as Trieste Dunn)
- Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
More like this
Did you know
- Trivia To make the movie as authentic as possible, director Paul Greengrass cast a number of real-life participants in the events of September 11, 2001, to play themselves. The principal "real-life role" in the movie is Ben Sliney , the FAA's National Operations Manager, who made the decision on 9/11 to shut down all air traffic operations in the United States. Sliney had just been promoted to the National Operations Manager position, and September 11, 2001 was his first day on the job. That explains the applause from the FAA flight monitors when he walks into the control center in Herndon, VA, at the beginning of the movie. Several officials who were with Sliney in the FAA control room on 9/11 play themselves, including Tobin Miller , Rich Sullivan , and Tony Smith . In the scenes at Newark Airport, several air traffic controllers who were in the Newark control tower on 9/11, and who witnessed the air attacks on the World Trade Center, play themselves. At the air traffic monitoring centers in Boston, New York, and Cleveland, the air traffic monitors are all played by real-life air traffic controllers, including several who were at these locations on 9/11, and who monitored the hijacked flights. At the Northeast Air Defense Command Center (NEADS) in Rome, NY, most of the military personnel are played by real-life military air traffic controllers, including several people, notably Major James Fox , who were at NEADS on 9/11. Also, on United Flight 93, the actors playing the pilots in the movie are real-life airline pilots, and the flight attendants are played by real-life flight attendants, some of whom work for United Airlines.
- Goofs At the start of the movie, passengers arriving at the gate at Newark Airport are clearly at the domestic departure gates at Stansted Airport, Essex, UK. The scene includes BAA signage, seating at the gate (17), the rail link to the international departure gates (seen through the glass at the security checkpoint) and a "2 for £25" advertisement on the passenger walkway towards the gates.
Honor Elizabeth Wainio : Hi, Mom, it's me. I'm on the plane that's been hijacked. I'm just calling to tell you that I love you, and goodbye. This really kind woman handed me the phone and she said to call you.
- Crazy credits The very last line of closing credits states that the movie was "not sponsored by, or in any way affiliated with, United Airlines."
- Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Best Films of 2006 (2006)
User reviews 905
- Apr 28, 2006
- How long is United 93? Powered by Alexa
- April 28, 2006 (United States)
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Official Facebook
- Universal Pictures
- StudioCanal
- Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- $15,000,000 (estimated)
- $31,483,450
- $11,478,360
- Apr 30, 2006
- $76,700,659
Technical specs
- Runtime 1 hour 51 minutes
- Dolby Digital
Related news
Contribute to this page.
- See more gaps
- Learn more about contributing
More to explore
Recently viewed
Common Sense Media
Movie & TV reviews for parents
- For Parents
- For Educators
- Our Work and Impact
Or browse by category:
- Get the app
- Movie Reviews
- Best Movie Lists
- Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for Movies
50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12
- Best TV Lists
- Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
- Common Sense Selections for TV
- Video Reviews of TV Shows
Best Kids' Shows on Disney+
Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix
- Book Reviews
- Best Book Lists
- Common Sense Selections for Books
8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books
50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12
- Game Reviews
- Best Game Lists
Common Sense Selections for Games
- Video Reviews of Games
Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun
- Podcast Reviews
- Best Podcast Lists
Common Sense Selections for Podcasts
Parents' Guide to Podcasts
- App Reviews
- Best App Lists
Social Networking for Teens
Gun-Free Action Game Apps
Reviews for AI Apps and Tools
- YouTube Channel Reviews
- YouTube Kids Channels by Topic
Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids
YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers
- Preschoolers (2-4)
- Little Kids (5-7)
- Big Kids (8-9)
- Pre-Teens (10-12)
- Teens (13+)
- Screen Time
- Social Media
- Online Safety
- Identity and Community
Explaining the News to Our Kids
- Family Tech Planners
- Digital Skills
- All Articles
- Latino Culture
- Black Voices
- Asian Stories
- Native Narratives
- LGBTQ+ Pride
- Best of Diverse Representation List
Celebrating Black History Month
Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads
Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary
Common sense media reviewers.
Story of 9/11 hijacking: harrowing, not for kids.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Crew members and passengers are smart and heroic.
CNN's footage of the WTC burning, and the seco
Language escalates as the action, frustration, and
Mention of drinks at start, during cabin service.
Parents need to know that this film isn't for younger kids. Upsetting and provocative, it raises sophisticated questions about the construction of history and uses of memory. The movie includes frequent cuts that create tension and link scenes in the jet and air traffic control, military, and the FAA centers. The…
Positive Messages
Violence & scariness.
CNN's footage of the WTC burning, and the second plane hitting the second tower, approximates characters' perspectives, at once horrifying and unbelievable (again); hijackers carry knives and fake bomb; throats/shoulders slashed, stabbing, and an assault by passengers on the hijackers that occurs mostly offscreen, but shows blood splatted on the wall from a skull crushed by a fire extinguisher; last images are harrowing, blurry and rushed and fragmented, until the plane crashes and the screen goes black.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Language escalates as the action, frustration, and dread build; includes "damn," f-words, s-words, and "hell."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this film isn't for younger kids. Upsetting and provocative, it raises sophisticated questions about the construction of history and uses of memory. The movie includes frequent cuts that create tension and link scenes in the jet and air traffic control, military, and the FAA centers. The hijackers betray nervousness but remain resolute in pursuing what they see as their destiny. Television images of the second plane hitting the WTC recall 9/11 as most viewers experienced it. The final assault by passengers on the hijackers is particularly grim and violent, with ragged images and blood splattering on a wall. Some strong language. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .
Where to Watch
Videos and photos.
Community Reviews
- Parents say (1)
- Kids say (17)
Based on 1 parent review
Best movie I’ve ever watched.
What's the story.
UNITED 93 offers what director Paul Greengrass calls a "possible truth" regarding on the fateful 9/11 flight, beginning with the pre-flight preparations of the hijackers and the passengers as well as the activity in the air traffic control towers. Ben Sliney (who plays himself), on his first day as director of the Federal Aviation Administration's operations, sets to reorganizing the office. When the first plane hits the World Trade Center, no one can imagine it's deliberate. The film cuts to TV monitors showing CNN's coverage of the attack, with reporters repeating that they don't know what's going on. On the flight 93, the hijackers take control of the plane and the passengers, who place calls to loved ones via the on-plane telephones, learn of the World Trade Center attacks and coordinate a strike against the hijackers.
Is It Any Good?
Difficult and provocative, United 93 is an experience that is at once abstract, visceral, and sometimes overwhelmingly immediate. In reframing the event in and as TV images, the way so many people experienced it on 9/11, the film makes a devastating appeal to collective and individual memories. It also shapes those memories, framing them with Ben Sliney making decisions when no one else would (closing down all air space). In its fitful remembering, United 93 raises important questions (however reverentially) about the making of history. Who decides "what happened"? What is omitted? And how does any one point of view prevail over another? In creating identifiable heroes -- say, Todd Beamer (played here by David Alan Basche) or Thomas E. Burnett (Christian Clemenson), names that have circulated in the ever-expanding history/mythology mix of 9/11 -- the movie leaves other participants less visible.
The effort to fight back, the desperation and the fear, are all too visible, in shards more than coherent images. Close-ups show frantic and determined faces, praying, calling loved ones, setting their jaws in determination to "do something." Though no one can know exactly "what happened," this reimagining allows viewers to think the best of United 93's heroes. Director Paul Greenrass met with family members to secure their blessing as well as their input: "It tells a story," they say, "that needs to be told." This is no doubt true, though what that story is may be less clear. In this sense, it is like most history, not official, not even accurate, but essential.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the uses of representing such tragedy and trauma: How do stories and images help us work through emotional wounds? How important is historical accuracy in a fictionalized feature film? How does the movie portray the hijackers, so that you see their nervousness and dedication, and not just cartoonish, one-dimensional "evil"? How do the many, mostly nameless, passengers appear heroic in ways that challenge movie conventions?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 28, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : September 5, 2006
- Cast : David Alan Basche , Khalid Abdalla , Susan Blommaert
- Director : Paul Greengrass
- Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African actors
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 111 minutes
- MPAA rating : R
- MPAA explanation : language, and some intense sequences of terror and violence.
- Last updated : November 18, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Our editors recommend.
Bloody Sunday
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes
Trouble logging in?
By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .
By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .
By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.
Email not verified
Let's keep in touch.
Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:
- Upcoming Movies and TV shows
- Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
- Media News + More
By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.
OK, got it!
Movies / TV
No results found.
- What's the Tomatometer®?
- Login/signup
Movies in theaters
- Opening this week
- Top box office
- Coming soon to theaters
- Certified fresh movies
Movies at home
- Fandango at Home
- Netflix streaming
- Prime Video
- Most popular streaming movies
- What to Watch New
Certified fresh picks
- Challengers Link to Challengers
- I Saw the TV Glow Link to I Saw the TV Glow
- Música Link to Música
New TV Tonight
- Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
- The Jinx: Season 2
- The Big Door Prize: Season 2
- Knuckles: Season 1
- Them: Season 2
- Velma: Season 2
- Secrets of the Octopus: Season 1
- Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story: Season 1
- We're Here: Season 4
Most Popular TV on RT
- Baby Reindeer: Season 1
- Fallout: Season 1
- Shōgun: Season 1
- Ripley: Season 1
- Under the Bridge: Season 1
- 3 Body Problem: Season 1
- We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
- Best TV Shows
- Most Popular TV
- TV & Streaming News
Certified fresh pick
- Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1 Link to Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
- All-Time Lists
- Binge Guide
- Comics on TV
- Five Favorite Films
- Video Interviews
- Weekend Box Office
- Weekly Ketchup
- What to Watch
All Zendaya Movies Ranked by Tomatometer
Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer
What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming
Awards Tour
Poll: Most Anticipated Movies of May 2024
Poll: Most Anticipated TV and Streaming Shows of May 2024
- Trending on RT
- Challengers
- Boy Kills World
- Marvel Movies In Order
- Play Movie Trivia
United 93 Reviews
The unorthodox casting choices by Greengrass lend the production an immeasurable level of realism. A filmmaker who often goes overboard with handheld cameras, Greengrass keeps that in check here, adding another layer of “you-are-there” believability.
Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Sep 11, 2023
...a top-tier endeavor that’s difficult to watch, for sure, but also incredibly rewarding.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Jul 19, 2022
It's hard to imagine a less sensationalized 9/11 film than this riveting docudrama.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Jan 20, 2021
A magnificent, superb film. [Full Review in Spanish]
Full Review | Feb 14, 2020
An exquisite and respectful masterpiece that resonates with power, intensity and raw emotion, making it 2006's best film.
Full Review | Original Score: A | Nov 19, 2019
A well-crafted and respectful film. If only it had gone one step further in driving that point home.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 5, 2019
The film pulls you into its world, turns you a passive participant. You can feel the desperation of the passengers and as they run to the cockpit...
Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 18, 2019
What might be therapeutic for the families is not perhaps meant for public consumption. After all, few things are more private than the last minutes of a life.
Full Review | Sep 26, 2017
All that United 93 can tell us. . .is that many people are brave and some people are dastardly.
Full Review | Aug 18, 2017
It's a difficult and upsetting experience but a worthwhile one, which will linger in your mind long after the film ends.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 22, 2016
Above all, one truth remains: the sacrifice of the 40 passengers on Flight 93 is truly remarkable. The film portrays their courage in the face of staggering odds in its own subjective and respectful way. It achieves what it wants as a film.
Full Review | Mar 5, 2014
A black hole
Full Review | Aug 30, 2009
A flawed, but gripping well-crafted piece of drama...
Full Review | Apr 29, 2009
This is not a film you go to for enjoyment, but because you have a duty to endure it.
Full Review | Original Score: 10/10 | Feb 28, 2008
This is first-rate, visceral filmmaking: taut, watchful, free of false histrionics, as observant of the fear in the young terrorists' eyes as the hysteria in the passenger cabin, and smart enough to know this material doesn't need to be sensationalized.
Full Review | Nov 1, 2007
a real-time reconstruction of events on the doomed flight that manages to encapsulate all the anxieties and sorrows of our age.
Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Aug 10, 2007
I can say that "United 93" has been done well -- with intelligence, compassion, efficiency -- and yet still question whether it was worth doing.
Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 25, 2007
Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jul 14, 2007
A supreme achievement.
Full Review | Mar 1, 2007
Amazingly detailed in its narrative cohesion and editing, United 93 is a noble tribute to the tragedy of 9/11.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Feb 7, 2007
- Universal Pictures
Summary Acclaimed filmmaker Paul Greengrass writes and directs an unflinching drama that tells the story of the passengers and crew, their families on the ground and the flight controllers who watched in dawning horror as United Flight 93 became the fourth hijacked plane on the day of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil: September 11, 2 ... Read More
Directed By : Paul Greengrass
Written By : Paul Greengrass
Where to Watch
David Alan Basche
Todd beamer.
Olivia Thirlby
Nicole carol miller, liza colón-zayas, waleska martinez, j.j. johnson, captain jason m. dahl, gary commock, first officer leroy homer, polly adams, deborah welsh, opal alladin, ceecee lyles, starla benford, wanda anita green, trish gates, sandra bradshaw, nancy mcdoniel, lorraine g. bay.
Richard Bekins
William joseph cashman.
Susan Blommaert
Jane folger, ray charleson, joseph deluca.
Christian Clemenson
Thomas e. burnett, jr., lorna dallas, linda gronlund.
Denny Dillon
Colleen fraser, trieste kelly dunn, deora frances bodley, kate jennings grant, lauren catuzzi grandcolas.
Peter Hermann
Jeremy glick, kristin white gould, critic reviews.
- All Reviews
- Positive Reviews
- Mixed Reviews
- Negative Reviews
User Reviews
Related movies.
Seven Samurai
The Wild Bunch
North by Northwest
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The French Connection
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Incredibles
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
House of Flying Daggers
Assault on Precinct 13
The Hidden Fortress
Gangs of Wasseypur
Captain Blood
Related news.
2024 Movie Release Calendar
Jason dietz.
Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly.
Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked
With the arrival of Zack Snyder's latest Rebel Moon chapter on Netflix, we rank every one of the director's films—from bad to, well, less bad—by Metascore.
Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked
We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
April Movie Preview (2024)
Keith kimbell.
The month ahead will bring new films from Alex Garland, Luca Guadagnino, Dev Patel, and more. To help you plan your moviegoing options, our editors have selected the most notable films releasing in April 2024, listed in alphabetical order.
DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming
Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.