World Trade Center is a sincere, heartfelt look into the tragedy that was 9/11, and while the movie is extremely earnest and honorable in it's depiction of a single story (there are thousands of stories to be told about that dark day), it isn't as memorable or effective as the similarly themed United 93. Having said that, I applaud Oliver Stone for crafting what is, perhaps, his most accessible (and subtle) film. What's more, this is a big step up from the major mis-step that was Alexander. But then how could it not be? Since this is a film based on an awful tragedy that is still very much at the forefront of most Americans' minds, it's pretty much impossible not to be moved by it.

With World Trade Center, we are, once again, left to ponder whether or not it's "too soon" for Hollywood to be reenacting the horrors of that profoundly devastating day. As I suggested in my United 93 review, I suppose that depends on who you ask. Someone who experienced loss on that day might have a different opinion on the matter. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't "too soon".

World Trade Center focuses on John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Pena), two Port Authority Police Officers who entered the towers as part of a rescue mission and were ultimately trapped themselves. For several grueling hours, these men were caught beneath the rubble of the fallen structures, and endured a nightmare of epic proportions.

As these men enter the building, the tension is immediate. What might happen? This was a situation unlike any they had ever experienced. It was Armageddon-like in nature. Mass confusion. At this point, they weren't even sure if one plane hit the building or if there were two. Stone captures this confusion and hysteria with absolute precision. The moment the towers start to collapse, I could feel the fear generated by these men. Surprisingly, what follows, is an exercise in restraint. This isn't Poseidon. McLoughlin and Jimeno spend most of the film pinned to the ground–trapped under fallen rubble. All they have to keep themselves alive is the thought of their loved ones and each other. The idea that these two men spend the majority of the film virtually motionless might seem like a boring movie experience, but it is the fact that this really happened, that lends resonance to the proceedings. What's more, this isn't just a story about McLoughlin and Jimeno. It's about the men who risked their own lives to get these officers out of the fallen buildings.

There are moments of undeniable power in this film. In particular, I was extremely moved by a scene in which a woman breaks down after revealing that she had a fight with her son before he left for work at the World Trade Center. There's a raw, honest approach to this particular moment, and I was shaken by it.

Stone's recreation of the events that occurred on 9/11 are effective and haunting. He has a meticulous eye for detail. The shots of ground zero give true perspective to the massive operation that followed this colossal tragedy. The visuals and cinematography are A-caliber. What's more Craig Armstrong's emotional, restrained score is simply stunning. Perhaps the strongest of his career.

Upon seeing World Trade Center, I feared that the inclusion of a star like Nicolas Cage would distract from the power of the story itself. I was wrong. Cage is extremely low key, and ultimately, he's very effective, even though he spends most of the film motionless. Michael Pena (see his stunning turn in Crash) is equally effective as McLoughlin's fallen comrade. Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal are outstanding as two vulnerable wives trying to grasp the severity of their situation. World Trade Center also benefits from several effective bit players including Stephen Dorff, Michael Shannon, and Stone veteran Frank Whaley.

There are moments in World Trade Center that I could have done without. There were a few unnecessary flashbacks giving a little insight into McLoughlin's background. They didn't work for me. I was also a bit confused by Jay Hernandez's final moments in the movie. While trapped, Hernandez contemplates the unthinkable, but I was confused by the way in which Stone shot and edited the scene. It didn't make sense to me.

I have seen other films that depict the undeniable will to survive while facing insurmountable odds. Touching the Void is a perfect example, and while World Trade Center doesn't evoke the same kind of tension, it really doesn't need to. This is an entirely different tale of survival.

As I already pointed out, the story told here is merely one of many stories of survival and unity that came out of that dark day. This isn't a Hollywood action bonanza or some sappy melodrama created to manipulate an audience. What makes Oliver Stone's World Trade Center so stirring, is that it really happened. Ultimately, this is a movie about people helping people, and if 9/11 taught us anything, it's that compassion is alive and well in this world.