World Trade Center (film)

On September 11, 2001, members of the Port Authority Police are dispatched to Downtown Manhattan in response to the North Tower of the World Trade Center having been hit by a plane. The officers learn en route that the South Tower also was hit by another plane. Sergeant John McLoughlin, veteran of the 1993 bombing, assembles a group of volunteers; officers Antonio Rodrigues, Will Jimeno and Dominick Pezzulo, to retrieve rescue equipment from Building 5. They are joined by Officer Christopher Amoroso.

As the five officers prepare to enter the North Tower from the concourse, the South Tower begins to collapse onto them, and McLoughlin realizes that their only chance of survival is to take shelter in the elevator shaft. McLoughlin, Jimeno, and Pezzulo are the only survivors, but they are trapped beneath the rubble. Pezzulo tries but fails to free Jimeno, whose lower half is pinned. McLoughlin, who is also pinned, listens helplessly as the North Tower begins to collapse. Pezzulo is fatally injured when a concrete slab crushes his torso, but manages to fire his sidearm once into the air, in an attempt to alert rescuers to their whereabouts just before dying. Jimeno and McLoughlin spend painful, terrifying hours under the rubble telling each other about their lives. Meanwhile, their families try to learn if they are still alive.

When Building 7 collapses, both men scream and accept their demise, but they survive without further harm. McLoughlin tries to keep Jimeno awake by encouraging him to repeatedly pull on metal rebar that potential rescuers might hear. Hours pass, and McLoughlin falls in and out of consciousness. Both agree to stay alive for one another.

Two United States Marines, Dave Karnes and Jason Thomas, who are searching for survivors, hear the noise produced by Jimeno and find the men, calling for help to dig them out. After hours and effort by first responders, Jimeno is rescued first, and then hours later McLoughlin is lifted out of the debris in critical condition. Both men are reunited with their families at the hospital and undergo medical treatment, including extensive surgeries, and McLoughlin is placed in a medically induced coma.

In 2003, Jimeno and McLoughlin, both medically retired from duty, attend a celebratory barbecue with their families. The epilogue reveals that both men were two of twenty people found alive at Ground Zero, and they were numbers eighteen and nineteen, respectively. David Karnes reenlisted in the Marines and served two tours in the Iraq War.

John McLoughlin graduated from the State University of New York at Oswego, where he was a member of the Sigma Tau Chi fraternity. He was rescued after 22 hours, the 19th of 20 people pulled out of the rubble alive. Doctors kept him in an induced coma for six weeks. He underwent 27 surgeries and spent nearly three months in the hospital and rehabilitation. Four months after their rescue, McLoughlin and Jimeno—who both have since retired—took part in a ceremony at Ground Zero to watch as the final column was removed. When all the uniformed officers walked out of The Pit, the last two were McLoughlin and Jimeno. On June 11, 2002, McLoughlin received the Port Authority's Medal of Honor.[10] He resided in Goshen, New York.

Will Jimeno was born on November 26, 1967, in Colombia but immigrated to New York City as a boy with his family. At the time of the attacks, he was a rookie cop assigned to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.[11] He was pulled out of the rubble after 13 hours, the 18th of 20 people pulled out alive. On June 11, 2002, Jimeno received the Port Authority's Medal of Honor.[11] Jimeno and McLoughlin make a cameo in the film.[12]

Christopher Amoroso was born on June 1, 1972, and raised in North Bergen, New Jersey where he attended North Bergen High School.[13] Since 2010 the Chopper 2002 Foundation has presented their annual invitational softball tournament in North Bergen on the first weekend of June.

Dominick Pezzulo was born on August 15, 1965, in Italy to Dino and Victoria Pezzulo. He was named after his grandfather Domenico Pezzulo. Pezzulo taught auto repair, math and computer technology. After seven years as a teacher, Pezzulo became a police officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department 13 months before the attack. He was stationed at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. On September 9, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.[14] At the National 9/11 Memorial, Pezzulo is memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-29.[15] In his birthplace of Giano Vetusto, Italy, a plaque has been erected on the door of the house he grew up in.[16]

Bruce A. Reynolds was born in Inwood and resided in Knowlton Township, New Jersey with his wife and two kids. He joined the Port Authority in 1986 and was stationed at the bus terminal on 42nd Street. On September 11, 2001 - Reynolds was sent to the World Trade Center from his post at the George Washington Bridge. Despite having respiratory problems, he went into the South Tower to help with the rescue effort.[17]

David W. Karnes was born c. 1958 and spent 23 years in the Marine Corps infantry. He left his accounting office at Deloitte and Touche in Wilton, Connecticut on September 11, 2001 soon after witnessing the attacks on television to assist in the rescue efforts. Karnes spent nine days at the site before returning to his office. He then reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and went on to serve in the Philippines and Iraq. He served for 17 months, including two tours of duty in Iraq. Karnes did not cooperate in the making of Stone's World Trade Center movie due to Stone's antipathy towards U.S. President George W. Bush. Some critics took issue with the portrayal in the film. Rebecca Liss of Slate magazine observed, "The film seems to overplay his zeal without conveying his motivations and reasoning." It notes he is unfairly portrayed as "a robotic soldier of Christ—a little wacky and simplistic."[18]

Jason Thomas was born c. 1974 and was dropping his daughter off at the home of his mother on Long Island when she told him about the attacks. Despite having left active duty in August 2001, Thomas drove to Manhattan to assist in the rescue efforts,[19] telling the Associated Press: "Someone needed help. It didn't matter who. I didn't even have a plan. But I have all this training as a Marine, and all I could think was, 'My city is in need.'"[19] As of 2013, Thomas is serving in the United States Air Force as a medical technician.[20] His portrayal by a white actor in the film generated controversy, although the producers claimed that they were unaware that the real Thomas was black until they had already started filming.[21][22] On February 11, 2007, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition aired a special two-hour episode about Thomas and his family. Following the attacks, Thomas and his wife had moved their four children from New York to Columbus, Ohio. The house they bought began to deteriorate and the show intervened to help them. On September 2, 2013, Channel 4 broadcast The Lost Hero of 9/11[23] which detailed Thomas's involvement in the rescue operation following the collapse of both towers. As of 2018, Thomas was living in Columbus with his wife Kirsti and their children. He worked as an officer for the Ohio Supreme Court.[24][25] Thomas is in 15 Septembers Later which has appeared on the History Channel.

The film was released on DVD and HD DVD on December 12, 2006, and on Blu-ray on June 3, 2008.

• List of cultural references to the September 11 attacks
• Collapse of the World Trade Center
• United 93, another 2006 film, directed by Paul Greengrass, which centered around the events aboard United Airlines Flight 93.
• List of firefighting films
• Whitewashing in film

• World Trade Center official site Archived April 8, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
• Article in truTV Crime Library Archived August 31, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
• Craig Armstrong – Movie Score Composer
• 'World Trade Center' Movie Leaves Real Heroes Awestruck Archived March 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
• September 11th Remembered Archived September 2, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
• Images from the film Archived August 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
• Tribute to Will Jimeno Archived August 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine

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• World Trade Center at Box Office Mojo
• Interview with Oliver Stone & the cast of World Trade Center