10 Best Important Movies About 9/11 (& Where To Stream Them)

The best 9/11 movies provide different perspectives on the tragic event while also creating something that honors and respects the victims. On September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from the fundamentalist Islamic militant group, al-Qaeda, hijacked four airplanes that were used as part of a suicide terrorist bombing plot. Two of the four planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, both of which later collapsed shortly after, and another hit the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a rural field in Pennsylvania after the passengers revolted against the hijackers.

This was an incredibly shocking and terrifying moment in US history, and various filmmakers have made movies exploring this tragic event. From Paul Greengrass to Spike Lee, each 9/11 film was created by passionate filmmakers who each have something important to say about this event. Whether it be a war film about a group of soldiers who are deployed into combat immediately following 9/11, a character drama about people trying to recover from such a horrible tragedy, or even an intense thriller about the passengers and first responders who were there on that fateful day, no two movies about 9/11 are the same.

10 12 Strong (2018)

Featuring an all-star cast including Chris Hemsworth, Michael Peña, Michael Shannon, and Yellowstone and 1923 creator Taylor Sheridan, 12 Strong tells the true story of a group of U.S. Army Special Forces who are immediately deployed into Afghanistan after the 9/11 hijackings occur, intending to defeat the combined force of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Due to the rugged terrain, the soldiers are forced to rely on riding horses. 12 Strong is one of the best and most important 9/11 movies because not only is it based on a true story, but it also showcases one of the earlier fights in the War on Terror.

Watch on Hulu

9 25th Hour (2002)

Directed by Spike Lee, 25th Hour follows a man named Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) who attempts to enjoy his last 24 hours of freedom before he goes to prison where he will serve a seven-year sentence for drug dealing. While the film itself is not about the September 11 attacks, the tragedy still plays an integral role in the overall story as the film is set in a post-9/11 New York. 25th Hour focuses more on how New York City and its inhabitants have changed following 9/11, and many critics consider it to be one of the best movies about the September 11 attacks.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

8 World Trade Center (2006)

Director: Oliver Stone | Runtime: 2h 9m

From acclaimed director Oliver Stone and featuring a high-profile cast of actors like Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, World Trade Center follows a group of police officers who get trapped under the rubble of the World Trade Center after it collapses. Throughout the rest of the film, the officers struggle to save both the remaining survivors stuck under the rubble and themselves. This is one of the best and most important 9/11 movies as it attempts to portray the collapse of the World Trade Center as accurately as possible.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

7 The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)

A unique take on the 9/11 movie, The Reluctant Fundamentalist follows a young Pakistani man named Changez Khan (Riz Ahmed) who immigrates to the United States intending to create a better life for himself and his family. At first, Khan is on top of the world: he graduates at the top of his class at Princeton University, he gets hired by a high-profile firm on Wall Street, and he is loved and respected by his peers. However, once the September 11th attacks occur, people immediately become suspicious of Khan due to his ethnicity as he is constantly questioned by authorities about his loyalty to America.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

6 The Great New Wonderful (2005)

From Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle director Danny Leiner, The Great New Wonderful is an anthology film that takes place a year after 9/11 and follows a series of characters with the only connecting thread being that they are all trying to recover and move on from the September 11 attacks. The reason why this is one of the best and most important movies about 9/11 is that it provides a unique spin that primarily focuses on the trauma people suffered from 9/11 and how they’ve since recovered from the tragic event.

Watch on Peacock

5 Worth (2020)

Worth tells the true story of a lawyer named Kenneth Feinberg (Michael Keaton) who is appointed to run a fund that would distribute money to each victim of the September 11 attacks. In the beginning, Feinberg creates what he believes to be a fair, bureaucratic system that can distribute the right amount of money. However, when he is confronted by a man named Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci) whose wife was killed on 9/11, Feinberg must learn to develop compassion and find a better way. This unique approach to the September 11 attacks makes it one of the best and most important 9/11 films.

Watch on Netflix

4 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)

From Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close follows a nine-year-old boy named Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) who loses his father (Tom Hanks) on 9/11. A year after the terrorist attacks, Oskar finds a key hidden inside a vase that he later learns belonged to his father. Oskar goes on a journey to find out what this key unlocks while also learning how to come to terms with his father’s death. This is one of the best and most important 9/11 movies as it primarily focuses on a child’s perspective on the September 11 attacks, a unique premise in these types of films.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

3 Reign Over Me (2007)

Reign Over Me tells the story of a man named Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler) who loses his wife and kids during the September 11 attacks. This moment was so traumatizing for Charlie that, five years later, he went from being happy and outgoing to a quiet shell of a man who is constantly wearing headphones and is unable to confront his pain. Despite Reign Over Me being a box-office bomb, it is one of the best 9/11 movies as it not only features a powerful dramatic performance from Sandler but also excellently explores themes like trauma and confronting the past.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

2 The Report (2019)

The Report tells the true story of a Senate staffer named Daniel J. Jones (Adam Driver) who is tasked by Senator Dianne Feinstein (Annette Bening) to investigate the destruction of CIA videotapes in 2005. During his investigation, Jones discovers that after the September 11 attacks, the CIA has been torturing prisoners and suspected terrorists using methods such as waterboarding, regardless of whether they had valuable information. This is one of the best and most important 9/11 movies because despite it not taking place during 9/11, it excellently shines a light on the nefarious actions the CIA was doing after the terrorist attacks, all in the name of “freedom”.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

1 United 93 (2006)

From The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum director Paul Greengrass, United 93 tells the true story of how the passengers in the fourth hijacked airplane during 9/11 attempted to fight back against the al-Qaeda terrorists who took over. The reason this is the best and most important 9/11 movie is that while some creative liberties were made, the film attempts to be as historically accurate as possible. The end result is a piece of cinema that feels so real and immersive that it almost feels like watching a documentary.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video