WTC

I don't get out to the movies too much (I think the last time was 2004 for Polar Express), but my in-laws had given Mrs. Salad & me a gift card, so last night -- at her recommendation -- we saw WORLD TRADE CENTER.

It's been less than 12 hours since screen time, so I'm still processing everything. My strongest impression was that it's certainly not a typical Oliver Stone picture, lacking both the good (superb editing, rapid pace, and tight storyline) and the bad (conspiratorial undertones and assorted looniness). That may not be a fair generalization, as Oliver's given us everything from The Joy Luck Club (as producer) to JFK, but you can understand my expectations.

Even knowing the outcome of the two main characters, Stone manages to create a fair amount of suspense and intrigue and, most notably, without any political cheap shots or subtleties that I could detect. Even two US Marines who play a key role in the plot are portrayed honorably.

At the same time, WTC was somewhat narrow in its focus and did not, as I expected, portray too much of the bigger picture of 9/11 -- it essentially lacked any sub-plot (at best, two parallel main plots), although there were background references to the events of 9/11 as the unfolded, and a clear portrayal of the confusion that surrounded that day (another blog for another time).