The Best Movies About 9/11

The 9/11 terrorist attacks, which occurred 25 years ago, remain one of the darkest days in American history. Many sought to process the loss, grief, and anger through art, with films playing a significant role in helping the public understand the profound impact of the events. From the immediate aftermath to more recent portrayals, several films have captured the emotions, responses, and consequences of that pivotal moment.

United 93, directed by Paul Greengrass and released in 2006, is often regarded as the most visceral film about 9/11. The movie chronicles the heroic actions of the passengers aboard United Flight 93 as they thwarted the hijackers' plans to reach the White House. The film employs a docudrama approach, utilizing unknown actors as well as real air traffic controllers who witnessed the events. This approach creates a harrowing, realistic portrayal of the passengers' bravery and ultimate sacrifice.

Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, also released in 2006, offers a more straightforward narrative concerning the Port Authority Police Officers' response to the 9/11 attacks. Cage portrays Sgt. John McLoughlin, who, along with Officer Will Jimeno, was trapped under rubble after the attacks. Stone worked closely with the real-life officers and their families to ensure the film's authenticity.

Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, is perhaps the most prominent film about the response to the 9/11 terror attacks. The 2012 movie is shrouded in secrecy until its release and serves as the follow-up to their Oscar-winning collaboration, The Hurt Locker. The film delves into the hunt for Osama Bin Laden and the raid that ultimately resulted in his death.

While it has been criticized for depicting torture tactics used to obtain information leading to Bin Laden's demise, it remains a compelling and thrilling account of a particularly tumultuous period in American history.

Another lesser-known but noteworthy film is Worth, released in 2020 and based on lawyer Kenneth Feinberg's memoir. The movie chronicles the handling of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Feinberg was entrusted with creating a compensation plan to convince at least 80% of the victims' families to sign on. This process proved emotionally challenging, as the lawyers were essentially determining the monetary value of each individual's life.