Hollywood Hues
A trauma relived

The subject is gripping but the narrative of Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center tends to slacken, observes Ervell E. Menezes

The 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in 2001 is a traumatic event, something the Americans have not yet come to grips with. It has given rise to anti-terrorist camps like Gauntanomo Bay which defy any semblance of democracy. Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center deals with the same terrorist bombings but with particular reference to two Port Authority policemen, John McLoughlin (Nicholas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Pena).

In the line of duty, these policemen decide to rescue the folks trapped in the Twin Towers. The two cops are a study in contrasts—John is serious while Will is an extrovert, who cannot just hold his tongue. "I do not smile a lot, that’s why people don’t like me," says John. But the gregarious Will tells John to keep talking even when they were buried under the rubble.

They long for water. "My mouth is like a beach," says Will and for days they continue talking to each other. Meanwhile the trauma of the respective families has to be seen to be believed. The two cops also believe that feeling pain is a good thing, because it means that they are alive.

Director Oliver Stone with his penchant for detail, puts together a heroic saga of courage and bravery under severe odds. Andrea Berloff’s screenplay is effective as it covers a wide range of anecdotes that flesh out these two characters and they naturally have to resort to the flashback technique. The grief-stricken families too come across strongly with Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal doing full justice as their wives. But after a while the fare borders on the blas`E9, this despite the weightage of the subject.
The two Port Authority policemen under the rubble reminisce, they are convinced that they married the right wives and Will asks John to send a message to his wife on what to name his unborn child. They keep talking in an effort to keep alive but there are also touches of humour that provide enough of dramatic relief.

The impact of the event helps to launch the film smoothly. But as we get to the middle, Stone is unable to maintain the momentum. May be five years is too long a time to wait as the subject is now somewhat blas`E9. In fact the latter half is even laboured and this is not one of Nicholas Cage’s better performances. Michael Pena is more effusive and both Bello and Gyllenhaal make their presences felt. May be it is timed to coincide with the Congressional elections. The Republicans have messed up the pitch with Iraq and are doing their utmost to stay in power. It could be aiming for the sympathy vote or trying their utmost to put out the still raging Bushfire.

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