The Path to 9/11 (2006) (TV)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

David L. Cunningham

Writers:

John Miller (based in part on the book 'The Cell') &
Michael Stone (based in part on the book 'The Cell') ...

Release Date:

10 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

A television mini-series on the events leading up to the US terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. |

Plot Keywords:

September 11 2001 | U.S. Vice President | Propaganda | White House | Politics

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Harvey Keitel	...	John O'Neill
Michael Benyaer	...	Khalid Sheikh Mohammed / 'KSM'
Wendy Crewson	...	Valerie James
Shirley Douglas	...	Madeline Albright
Kevin Dunn	...	Samuel 'Sandy' Berger
Nabil Elouahabi	...	Ramzi Yousef
Mido Hamada	...	Massoud
Barclay Hope	...	John Miller
Frank John Hughes	...	Bill Miller
Dan Lauria	...	George Tenet
Amy Madigan	...	Patricia Carver
Art Malik	...	Colonel Raymond Malik
Michael Murphy	...	William Cohen
Stephen Root	...	Richard Clarke
William Sadler	...	Neil Herman

Runtime:

240 min | Finland:277 min (5 parts) | 263 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Urdu | Dari | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:16 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Marc Platt Productions

Trivia:

Shaun Toub, who portrayed Emad Salem (the FBI informant in the 1993 WTC Bombing) in this miniseries, also portrayed El Sayyid Nosair (one of the men responsible for the 1993 bombing) in Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing. (1997) (TV).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the scenes in Pakistan and Kenya, cars were left hand drive (this was probably due to the scenes being filmed in Morocco, which drives on the right.)

Quotes:

"Kirk", a CIA operative: How do you win a "Law and Orderly" war?
John O'Neill: You don't.

Movie Connections:

References Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing. (1997) (TV)

Gripping, fairly objective stuff - so says a Brit

No this isn't factual history but since when has that particularly bothered US filmmakers?! The point is if you want an exact version of events read a book on the subject, it is very clear you cannot provide a full and 100% accurate account in the amount of time allowed by a film. Once you get over this point I felt that The Path to 9/11 was a well made drama which covered some very key episodes in the buildup to 9/11 and had some wonderful acting. The atmosphere of impending doom was beautifully handled and there is no doubt that one is left to dwell on some appalling mistakes made in the handling of terrorism prior to 9/11. What I find as a Brit remarkable is that so many on here are accusing the programme of rabid right wing bias. I have to say that I completely disagree. Yes the Clinton administration was made to look weak and irresolute, but I hardly think that the makers of the programme covered the Bush regime with glory either. The fact that the film ended with the lack of progress made since 9/11 means it is hardly a pro-Bush piece, but at the same time since it was the Clinton administration in power during most of the preceding events, it is only natural that it should shoulder its fair share of the blame. So why don't you lot get off your political bandwagons and just agree that the whole thing was one great big screw up (not that Britain would have done any better I assure you!)