Controversy Or Not, World Trade Center Opens

Stone's new September 11 film opens, hailing courage

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - This time there's no controversy over the director -- just the movie.

Reviewers are hailing often-provocative director Oliver Stone for the respect, restraint and patriotism he displays in his new movie "World Trade Center," while wondering whether Americans are ready for a film about a national wound that has hardly healed -- the disaster of 9/11.

"World Trade Center," which tells of the heroism of two Port Authority policemen who raced into the inferno of New York's Twin Towers to save people and wound up being buried in rubble, opens nationally on Wednesday.

Box office experts say that despite rave reviews, the $65 million Paramount film faces a major test -- will people be willing to see it or will they stay away because of the sensitivity of the subject matter? Some experts say the film could be considered a success if it draws more than $20 million in its first five days.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, filmmakers avoided the subject and even digitally erased or deleted images of the Twin Towers from movies, including editing out a scene from "Spider-Man" in which the superhero plans to climb between the two buildings.

But in April, "United 93," a movie about how a passenger revolt aboard that flight stopped suicide hijackers from taking the plane to Washington, opened to respectful reviews and earned $31.5 million domestically, even though some viewers walked out sobbing after seeing the film's disturbing trailer.

Paul Dergarabedian, the head of the box office tracking service Exhibitor Relations, said "United 93" and "World Trade Center" are movies "about a sensitive subject and have been marketed in a special, respectful way."

He added: "Any movie dealing with that subject matter is going to have to find moviegoers willing to go along for the ride. This is not escapist entertainment and these films have been created for a higher purpose than box office -- letting people see the event through the eyes of a filmmaker."