Even years after the September 11 attacks, the vision of the smoldering twin towers seems to be forever ingrained in the memories of countless people. However, many Americans disregard the seemingly insignificant series of events that occurred years before the actual terror of 9/11.
"The Path to 9/11" is an ABC epic miniseries that paints a dramatic picture of how the attacks culminated during that day. The miniseries aired on Sunday, Sept. 10 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and continues on Monday, Sept. 11 at the same time.
It seems to be a current media trend to produce some kind of generic documentary outlining the events of 9/11 every year on the anniversary of the attacks. However, the miniseries tends to stray from the typical, dry media productions that are often aired.
The film, featuring Harvey Keitel ("The Shadow Dancer"), and Donnie Wahlberg ("Annapolis") is a dramatization of the events outlined in the 9/11 Commission Report, as well as factual supplementation from other various sources. It attempts to tell the full story of the chain of historic events believed to have led up to the terrorist attacks carried out by al Qaeda. The storyline explores almost a decade of relevant history, including the attempts of the Clinton Administration to capture Osama bin Laden years before the 9/11 attacks.
The film is extremely dense with factual information that seems irrelevant. However, as the miniseries nears its end, one can begin to see how the series of events comes together as the twin towers inevitably fall to the ground.
Although the movie does an incredible job outlining important historic events, it seems unlikely that it will go down in history as a great miniseries. Its long, and drawn out plot causes an overflow of tedious information, which may be a big turnoff for many viewers.
For those with short attention spans and an aversion to history "The Path to 9/11" may require a DVR and a fast-forward button. Although the subject matter is highly sensitive and important, the period leading up to the attacks is not necessarily what many college students would consider riveting.
The film seems to be more informative than dramatic, although some points in the movie could be defined as intense. It does not take much work to dramatize the events of 9/11 because it is evident that the actions committed on that day speak for themselves.
One thing that "The Path to 9/11" can teach individuals is that all history is relevant in ways that we cannot always comprehend. It is likely to teach the viewers that in the area of global politics, nothing is insignificant, and every action has a consequence.
The film does not attempt to blame any particular party or individual for the September 11 attacks, however it does offer a relatively unbiased display of how they accumulated and occurred.
Although this miniseries does not have the tender loving touch of drama, it is worth watching in order for one to establish a unique educated opinion of the subject matter.
In one way or another, every American has been affected by the fall of the twin towers. Many already know what happened that day, but to know why it happened, tune in to ABC.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
