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Action drama

9/11 (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

9/11 (2017) movie poster

9/11 is a 2017 action drama directed by Martin Guigui, starring Wood Harris as Michael, Whoopi Goldberg and Charlie Sheen. It runs 1 hour 30 minutes and earned $200,229 worldwide on a $5.5 million budget. Critics gave it 20% on Rotten Tomatoes and 20 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.5/10.

IMDb rating
4.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes
20%
worldwide gross
$200.2K
Echo Score
32
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9/11 (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 30m (90 min)
Director
Martin Guigui
Genres
Action , Drama
Original language
English
Budget
$5.5M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is 9/11 About?

The premise of 9/11 without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

On a September morning, the lives of five strangers unexpectedly intersect within an elevator. Among them are a deliveryman marking his daughter's birthday, a wealthy businessman facing divorce, a maintenance worker, and a young Russian woman with a complicated relationship. When the first plane hits, the elevator becomes a trap, forcing these individuals to confront their personal struggles and work together to survive the escalating crisis and find a way to escape the unfolding disaster.

9/11 Themes & Keywords

· 13 tags
  • 2000s
  • new york city
  • september 11 2001
  • disaster film
  • world trade center manhattan new york city
  • manhattan new york city
  • no opening credits
  • trapped in an elevator
  • disaster action
  • 9 11
  • elevator
  • based on true story
+1 more
  • based on play
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Cast & crew

9/11 Cast & Characters

Wood Harris leads the cast as Michael, with Whoopi Goldberg as Metzie and Charlie Sheen as Jeffrey Cage. Directed by Martin Guigui; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Martin Guigui

More films directed by Martin Guigui, best-rated first: Sweetwater, Beneath the Darkness, Swing and Paradise Cove.

Full filmography
Ratings

9/11 Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave 9/11 20% on Rotten Tomatoes and 20 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 32/100, strongest in character & emotion (40) and weakest in rewatch factor (25).

32 /100

9/11 Echo Score Breakdown

The film struggles to honor its subject and deliver a cohesive cinematic experience. Critics and audiences criticized manipulative emotional weight, clumsy execution, and limited creative ambition. While a few performances briefly connect, the exploitation of real tragedy undermines the narrative integrity. The predominant response is that the film feels contrived, underdeveloped, and lacking substantive engagement. Overall, 9/11 is viewed as a misfire that fails to resonate meaningfully or offer a compelling perspective on its weighty premise.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 30

    In terms of art and craft, the film’s staging is overly static, with restricted camera movement and missed opportunities for inventive composition. The confined elevator setting is presented with basic framing and editing that rarely innovates. Production design is serviceable but unremarkable, offering little visual dynamism. As a result, the overall aesthetic feels flat and uninspired.

  • Character & Emotion 40

    When it comes to character and emotion, performances oscillate between honest moments and uneven delivery. Some actors convey sincere grief, yet dialogue often feels clunky and overextended. Emotional beats lack genuine development, and character arcs remain underexplored. Chemistry among ensemble members is sporadic, yielding few resonant connections. Overall, the emotional resonance is inconsistent and undercut by unbalanced portrayals.

  • Story & Flow 35

    In terms of story and flow, the narrative leans heavily on its tragic backdrop without providing clear plot progression or originality. Pacing suffers from repetitive dialogue and confined staging, leading to diminished engagement. The premise of a group trapped in an elevator holds potential, but limited escalation and narrative flatness prevent sustained intrigue. Consequently, the plot feels underdeveloped and uneven.

  • Sensory Experience 30

    When it comes to sensory experience, the film offers minimal audio-visual innovation. The sound design and score underscore tension but lack thematic depth and variation. Visual style relies on subdued lighting and basic editing, which accentuate the claustrophobic setting yet fail to create a memorable atmosphere. As a result, the sensory impact remains muted and forgettable.

  • Rewatch Factor 25

    In terms of rewatch factor, the film provides little incentive for repeat viewing. The singular location and static structure result in a predictable experience with limited new insights on subsequent watches. While a few performances offer modest emotional moments, the overall lack of narrative layers and aesthetic flair diminishes lasting appeal. The movie struggles to reward repeated engagement.

Plot

9/11 Plot Summary

What happens in 9/11 from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film opens with a sweeping view of the Lower Manhattan skyline at dawn on September 11, 2001. Michael is a bicycle courier who takes a moment to wish his young daughter a happy birthday before starting his delivery route. Metzie stops for a coffee at a bustling café, then heads toward the North Tower, where she works as an elevator dispatcher. At 8:00 am, Jeffrey Cage and his wife, Eve Cage, a billionaire trader and his estranged spouse, meet in the North Tower’s law offices to sign divorce papers, sparking a tense personal moment amid a looming catastrophe.

Full summary

The whole story of 9/11, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

9/11 Box Office & Budget

9/11 grossed $200,229 worldwide on a $5.5 million budget. $170,000 came from the US and Canada and $30,229 (15%) from the rest of the world.

2017 box office

Worldwide gross

$200.2K

US & Canada
$170K
International
$30.2K
Budget
$5.5M
US & Canada 85% Rest of the world 15%
Videos

9/11 Trailers & Videos

The trailer of 9/11.

9/11 Movie Trailer - in Theaters Sept. 8th - Starring Charlie Sheen & Whoopi Goldberg
Quiz

How Well Do You Know 9/11?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who works as a bicycle courier in the film?

Seen 9/11?

FAQ

9/11 FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of 9/11, each answered in a sentence.

How long is 9/11?

9/11 runs 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes).

When was 9/11 released?

9/11 was released on September 8, 2017.

Who directed 9/11?

9/11 was directed by Martin Guigui.

More films by Martin Guigui

Who is in the cast of 9/11?

9/11 stars Wood Harris as Michael, Whoopi Goldberg as Metzie and Charlie Sheen as Jeffrey Cage, among 10 credited actors.

How much did 9/11 make at the box office?

9/11 grossed $200,229 worldwide ($170,000 domestic, $30,229 international) on a budget of $5.5 million.

How is 9/11 rated?

9/11 has 4.5/10 on IMDb, 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, 20 on Metacritic and 51% on TMDB.

Does 9/11 have a post-credit scene?

No. 9/11 has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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