Letters to the Editor
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Hotel Rwanda vs. United 93
I think it's great that another LW brought up the possible hypocrisy of not criticizing a film like Hotel Rwanda for exploiting a tragedy too soon, while saying that United 93 is "too soon" or should never be made.
However, I think we need to look at the nature of the tragedies and the reasons the films were made. Hotel Rwanda depicts a tragedy that most Americans are ignorant of, in terms of the scope, motivations, and outcomes. The filmmakers of Hotel Rwanda were trying to get our attention; to be more aware of the atrocities would potentially make us more responsive to these kinds of seemingly distant and irrelevant crises in the future.
Obviously, United 93 is not trying to raise awareness or bring 9/11 to an audience unaware of something that ought to have been more on its radar.
Every time a trailer for United 93 comes on TV, my stomach clenches, my mind starts racing. I dealt with a severe fear of flying after 9/11; it took years to fully overcome. This movie shoves 9/11 back in my face and in everyone else's face-- is this good? Is this appropriate? I have started having nighttime anxiety attacks about my cross-country flight to NYC next week, something I haven't dealt with for years. I can only imagine what people who experience 9/11 more directly are dealing with as this thing is shoved in their faces.
And for what it's worth-- I love Stephanie's conflicted, thoughtful review.