Many remember the tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with heavy hearts and a tear in their eye.

It has been five years since the nation has been shaken by this event, which to many seemed like something taken out of a film. With the history that Hollywood has of portraying real life events on screen, it is no surprise that the events of September 11 became one of the best movies of the summer of 2006.

World Trade Center poignantly illustrates personal events that occurred before and after the attacks. Not to entertain, the film’s real goal is to remind us that even at America’s darkest hour, there’s a twinkle of light in us all.

Director and producer Oliver Stone, (known for his previous films Born on the Fourth Of July, Any Given Sunday and Apocalypse Now) released the heart-wrenching true story of two New York Port Authority police officers.

World Trade Center grossed a total of $55,642,517 in the U.S. box office in its opening weeks. It topping the gross for United 93, another 9/11 film released four months earlier.

Oscar winner Nicholas Cage and Michael Pena (Crash) star as Sergeant John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, two officers called to duty on the day of the attacks.

Cage and Pena gave a face and heart to two men whom the world only read about in the papers and occasionally saw on the evening news. They acted out the trauma of being buried under the remains of what was New York’s proudest set of twins. Pena’s Will Jimeno manages to salvage his sense of humor after waking from a dream with ‘Jesus and a bottle of water’. Veteran actor Cage and talented newcomer Pena portrayed these men with dignity and respect in an overall outstanding performance.

One of the strengths of the film occurred in the opening scenes where the two men began their early morning at home, preparing for the day ahead, not expecting the outcome. It gave the audience a more in-depth look at these people; they weren’t just policemen in uniform, but men who put their life on the line.

Sirens buzz the audience’s ear drums while the sight of ash and rubble tumbling down on the citizens below makes viewers want to cover their eyes in horror. Then, everything goes black.

In the darkness of the theatre no one makes a sound; there is no shuffling of the popcorn or slurping of the soda. Complete silence. It’s one of the most powerful scenes in the film, not because of its imagery but because of the message that no matter who you are, where you live or what you do, Americans are all connected through that fateful day.

Throughout the film we are taken on the terrifying journey that Will and John went through, from the realization of what happened in New York, to the impressive spirit of holding on to hope.

In the words of the real Will Jimeno, “I want this movie to come out and really teach people that you’ll always have support and you’ll always have people there to love you, and if you have that, you can pretty much overcome anything.”