There's a moment in Sully (based on the
true story of flight captain Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger and the
safe-landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in January 2009, in what became known
as the "Miracle on the Hudson," resulting in the survival of all 155
passengers and crew on board) where one character says, in the aftermath of
said event, "It's been a while since New York has news this good,
especially with an airplane." Truth be told, 9/11 and this event were two
headlined events in New York in the past decade. And while they were
ultimately unexpected, both displayed signs of hope and courage because of
those who made a difference in saving lives.
And while the new film, masterfully directed by Clint
Eastwood, recreates this event (seen from different points-of-view
throughout, with IMAX cameras), it also chronicles the investigation that took
place in the aftermath. From the view of members of the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB), computer simulations that recreated the flight indicated
Sully would have (and should have) made it back to the nearest dock. This leads
Sully (the always-up-to-it everyman Tom Hanks), who apparently suffers from
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to question if he carried out the right actions
in what he described as "a forced water landing." He also
contemplates the consequences that could come, not to mention the alternatives
of what could have happened. (A few brief moments reveal 9/11-esque imagery.)
As Sully states, despite his forty years of experience as a pilot, "In the
end, I'm only going to be judged on 208 seconds [from the moment the plane lost
both engines to when we actually landed]."
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| Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhart |
Yet, halfway through the film, we get a perspective from
that of the passengers aboard the flight that day, as well as from Air Traffic
Control and first responders on the bay area. With that in mind, Sully showcases
the definition of what it means to be a hero, including the actions and choices
carried out in the process. Whether it's getting the job done, highlighting
experience and instinct over numbers, or recognizing the role of humanity,
Sully clarifies his role as somebody who was simply "doing his job".
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| Sully, "a real hero" |
In fact, during the hearings, Sully notes that the NTSB
has "not taken into account the human factor." Sully even states that
it wasn't a singular "miracle" (meaning that not one person was
involved in saving everybody on board), but a collaborative one. To reiterate,
"We [just] did our job." That being said, another thing Eastwood's
film does really well (despite its 90-minute running time, which some may
criticize) is that ordinary people can still do heroic things.
WRITER'S NOTE: The following track from 2010, by
electronic bands College and Electric Youth, was partly inspired by the
real-life events of this film.
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