Jonathan Last on Oliver Stone’s new film:

That Stone was able to make a steady, emotionally fulfilling movie from this amazing source material should come as little surprise to those familiar with his work. But what is surprising–astonishing, even–is that Stone has made a full-blown Jesus movie. World Trade Center is filled with Christianity. Karnes goes to church to pray before heading to Manhattan and Stone focuses for long stretches of this scene on the cross above the altar. There are crucifixes and rosaries everywhere. McLoughlin’s emergence from the pit is shot as though it were the resurrection. Christ even appears in the film, twice. And all of this is handled not with condescension or even with a distant respectfulness, but with actual reverence. If Mel Gibson’s name was on World Trade Center, the left would be up in arms.

It’s unclear how audiences will react to World Trade Center. It is a frightening and wrenching film. But at the end of the day, it feels right.