9/11 (2017 film)

9/11 grossed $170,000 in the United States and Canada and $30,229 in other territories for a worldwide total of $200,229.[7]

The film received a 3-day release in North America, opening in 425 theaters. The film grossed $55,000 its first day and finished the weekend with $170,000, ranking 29th with an average of $400 per theater.[7]

In Portugal, the film finished 16th in its first weekend with $9,588 in 11 theaters, and an average of $871 per screen. In its sophomore weekend, the film decreased 74.6% with $2,432, finishing 25th. The film finished out with $20,407 in box office receipts in the country. In South Africa, the film finished 18th in its first weekend, grossing $4,808 from 10 theaters with an average of $480 per screen. The film dropped 58.7% in its sophomore weekend to 22nd place, with $1,984 and an average of $180 per screen. The film stayed 22nd in its third weekend and finished in the country with $9,822 in box office receipts.

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 11% based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 2.6/10.[8] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 20 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[9]

Kimber Meyers of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a negative review, saying "9/11 trades on the emotional weight of its namesake day, manipulating audiences into feelings that have nothing to do with the mess that is actually on screen."[10] In an equally unfavorable review, Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter noted that 9/11 "proves so exploitative that its end credits' dedication to the victims and first responders feels tawdry".[11] Jezebel reviewer Rich Juzwiak wrote that although the film fades out with the words "Never Forget" written on the screen, "I won't, 9/11, but you've done your damnedest to make me want to."[12]

Alonso Duralde of TheWrap praised the performances of Gina Gershon and Jacqueline Bisset and wrote: "Sixteen years later, 9/11 remains too touchy a subject for a movie as clumsy as 9/11 to get entirely right. And even if the film relies too much on the real-life horror of the actual event to loan it some gravitas, the performances touch the emotions honestly and deservedly."[13]

In 2006, Sheen called in to the far-right conspiracy theorist radio program hosted by Alex Jones to voice his support to the then-growing 9/11 Truth movement. Sheen suggested that the Twin Towers had been destroyed due to a controlled demolition, which was then followed by a cover-up by the US government.[14] He went on to state: "It seems to me like 19 amateurs with box cutters taking over four commercial airliners and hitting 75% of their targets -- that feels like a conspiracy theory."[15][16] In 2006, Sheen spoke at a 9/11 truther convention in Los Angeles with Alex Jones, and later reaffirmed his beliefs about the conspiracy on Jimmy Kimmel Live![15]

When Sheen was interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter in September 2017, he reaffirmed his belief in the 9/11 truther movement, remarking, "I was not just coming up with stuff about 9/11. I was parroting those a lot smarter and a lot more experienced than myself, who had very similar questions. Not to put this behind us because, as brilliantly written, we must 'never forget,' but there are still a couple of things just rooted in simple physics that beg some measure of inquiry."[14]

Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson, whose firefighter father died in the 9/11 attacks, condemned the film in an Instagram post, citing Sheen's history with the Truther movement.[17] Others characterized director Martin Guigui's decision to cast a vocal 9/11 Truther in a film about the attacks as hypocritical.[14][18][19][20][21][22][23] Co-star Gina Gershon claimed not to have known about Sheen's earlier conspiracy-related statements until after filming on 9/11 had wrapped; she remarked that she would have spoken to Sheen about those comments before committing to the project.[6]