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United 93

United 93

September 11, 2001. Four planes were hijacked. Three of them reached their target. This is the story of the fourth.

2006111 minRMidcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Director
Paul Greengrass
Starring
J.J. Johnson, Gary Commock, Polly Adams, Opal Alladin

A real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.

Where to watch

Where can I watch United 93?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists United 93 to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about United 93?

United 93 earns 12 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Action.

Show 4 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is United 93 worth watching?

United 93's Midcredits score is the 93rd percentile of all films, from 192K ratings across 6 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

93rd percentile

Better received than 93% of films

96th percentile among Action92nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)90th

76 /100

92nd percentile of all films

97th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2000s

Critics 90 · Audience 75

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action89th percentile among 2000s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 90% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 28 wins / 57 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Directing
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Film Editing

96th percentile

191K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$11M
Domestic gross$31M
Worldwide gross$77M

Returned 5.1× its budget — 82nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is technically proficient and realistic in its docu-drama style, but they differ on whether that realism compensates for weak character development and emotional engagement.

Fans praised

  • restrained docu-drama approach with no melodrama or milked tears
  • authentic immediacy in control centers with actual 9/11 workers playing themselves
  • casts unknowns so passengers read as ordinary people, not movie stars

Detractors panned

  • amateur acting and flat direction undercut the story's power
  • fails to develop characters enough to make the audience care
  • confusing, disjointed editing between control centers

What stands out

Tension85

suspense sustained despite known outcome

Atmosphere82

immersive recreation of the day's confusion and dread

Emotional impactDivisive80

deeply moving and tearful but not manipulative

OriginalityDivisive75

docu-drama style distinguishes it from typical Hollywood fare

Plot and storyDivisive72

faithful to 9/11 Commission report and real-time events

PacingDivisive65

real-time tension effective but occasionally sluggish

ActingDivisive62

unknown actors praised for authenticity; detractors call it amateur

CharactersDivisive45

passengers seen as ordinary but underdeveloped

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 10 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is United 93 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadCathartic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Real time · 1% of films: Story time equals screen time — no time skips.
ToneThe film plays the material completely straight, with a documentary-like realism and no ironic distance.
The rideThe film sustains near-constant tension and dread, peaking in the final cockpit struggle, which offers a cathartic yet devastating release.
StructureThe film unfolds chronologically in near real-time, cutting between the plane and ground command centers.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you deeply moved by the ordinary courage of the passengers, and heartbroken by the outcome.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe passengers and crew of United Flight 93 organize to retake the plane from hijackers, aiming to save themselves and prevent further attacks, which fits a rescue quest.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsMortality · 2% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on ordinary people making the ultimate sacrifice to prevent a greater catastrophe, framed by the stark reality of their own impending death.
StanceThe film mourns the loss of the passengers and crew while memorializing their courage, treating their sacrifice with reverence rather than explicit judgment.

The world

ContemporaryIn transitUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · John Powell
SettingAboard United Airlines Flight 93 on the morning of September 11, 2001, intercut with air traffic control centers.
MusicThe score is spare and minimal, amplifying tension without overpowering the realism.

Content guide

Is United 93 okay for kids?

R

United 93 is rated R: “Rated R for language, and some intense sequences of terror and violence (appeal planned)” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (86/100), sexual content at minimal (6/100), language at intense (64/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (4/100) and frightening material at severe (97/100). Overall it is heavier than 78% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece15
  • Hungary18
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 87% of all filmsHeavier than 78% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 2%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 46%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 1%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 99%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material, violence, and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does United 93 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in United 93?

Cast

7 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

J.J. Johnson
as Captain Jason M. Dahl
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Gary Commock
as First Officer LeRoy Homer
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Polly Adams
as Deborah Welsh
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Opal Alladin
as CeeCee Lyles
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Starla Benford
as Wanda Anita Green
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Trish Gates
as Sandra Bradshaw
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Nancy McDoniel
as Lorraine G. Bay
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
David Alan Basche
as Todd Beamer
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Richard Bekins
as William Joseph Cashman
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Susan Blommaert
as Jane Folger

Crew

More like this

What are movies like United 93?

Movies like United 93 include Bloody Sunday (2002), 22 July (2018) and Captain Phillips (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Paul Greengrass, and most are docudramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its feel: brutal. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with United 93?

824 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: terrorist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.