I wasn't sure what to anticipate from this movie. A sweeping potrail of the 9/11 disaster - No, a microscopic look at what happened to just two men trapped in the rubble of the world trade centre site.
One of the cleverset things about the movie is that it resists the temptation to include the images of the towers falling that are so etched into our minds, or people running from the clouds of dust. It is like a microscope zooming right into the world changing event. Two men, trapped in the rubble.
That said, there are some horrific sweeping shots of a lone marine walking in the rubble of the Trade Centre looking for survivors makes you realise the scale of the rubble. Others as you see hundreds of injured lying waiting for treatment as you here the towers falling. And in HD, these sweeping shots are awe enspiring with detailed rubble and smoke.
It also includes the 3rd building to fall at the trade centre site and as each building falls you feel the true anguish the men must of felt as they were buried deeper and deeper and darker in the rubble.
So, what is it about? Nic Cage plays a police Sergant and when the 1st tower is on fire he takes in a team of men to bring out survivors. However the towers collpase on him and his team whilst they start there rescue leaving them trapped in the rubble by an elevator shaft
The HD aspect is fantastic - Colours and detail are so vivid. Details leap off the screen and you really feel the mens plight. The claustrophibic rubble and dust full of detail. The moody lighting and dark scenes made more involving. The intense surround sound of buildings and rubble falling and the mens agonising screams as they are crushed is delivered in a way that SD never could.
My wife and I agreed that if this were not a true story it would frankly be unbelievable to have imagined watching the towers fall in on all those people and as you watch the events unfold - despite knowing what happens you can't help but feel touched.
To top of the package, you get 2 hours of high definition extra's, including meeting the two men the movie was based on, how they recreated ground zero and a making of which is in depth and again, on repeat viewings, helps you realise why Oliver Stone chose such a small (true) story, rather than an all out cover everything movie.
A great movie from Oliver Stone, if it's what your expecting.