Sully... the human side of catastrophe

In difficult times, in times when we mostly need some inspiration to feel that things can get better. Just when seems like there are no more real heroes there. Anyone able to put others before themselves. When violence has over take the news and our daily basis is full of bad news, terrorism and war, those good news seemed like a fairy tale or do we crave drama and tragedy as part of human condition forgetting that heroism and bravery is also very needed and also a very human side of all us? So casually just when we are celebrating 15 years from one of the biggest tragedies in recent history. One that started a war and series of other major attacks around the globe, we get another side of the coin. Yes, i'm talking about the 9/11 events, one of the major terrorist attacks, that involved airplanes packed with innocent people that lost their lives in hands of others trying to make a point against western society. And since then we started another series of attacks all around the world, including countries like Spain, France, UK, Turkey, Belgium just to mention a few. But the reason why i'm bringing back these sad and tragic events today, is just to refer that as we get disastrous news like this, we can also get others that might inspire us and show us that humanity can also have better moments and sometimes a few can still prove what being a hero for some means.

This is the case of Chesley Sullenberg, a pilot that back in 2009 faced a life or death decision and did his best to save as many lives as possible just by doing his best while doing his job. This proves that we don't need super powers to become heroes and by just proving why we are the best at what we do can change others lives and that's more than any super power. Sadly we are not used to this stories and any inspirational or motivating act feels more like a cliche or like something unreal or childish but actually being capable of transform lives, change them for good or just do something good requires more courage than any fight or struggle than anyone can go trough while moving from a rough patch. Why? Because our nature tends to move us to the dark side. Our survival instinct make us selfish and unaware of others while trying to focus on our needs and we embrace the fact that bad things are meant to happen in order to make us stronger and  prove what we are made of. But when a city like New York, one of the main cities in the world faces the fact of being targeted for terrorism and it's locals live in chaos and stress from loud streets, dirty subway, overpopulated side walks, rude visitors and crazy homeless, acknowledging the fact that some civilians and service workers came together in order to safe lives or help others, prove that there is still some good around. And this is "Sully" (2016), the new film directed by Clint Eastwood with Tom Hanks as the leader character, in a story that represents the events of January 2009, when an airplane from U.S.S Airlines landed in the Hudson River, just in between New York City and Jersey City.

But story is based in one major point more than the events by themselves: the fact that our experienced and dedicated pilot, decided to crash their plane into the river in order to save lives instead of following the protocol and fly it back to the airport. So based on this, we go trough the life of a man that just faced a life changing event when having other 155 lives in his hands and made a decision and his best to save all of them, but at the same time he's being on the spot, targeted as a criminal, a rebel, under constant interviews that seemed trying to prove the opposite, as of what he did was a bad decision and killed everybody. For anyone that had faced this kind of situation, the stress and consequences are as hard as any surgery multiply for 155. And it can be overwhelming when many others see you as a hero and you can't feel like one because there are a few trying to prove it wrong. This is where the movie gets an interesting twist or a disappointing one, as sometimes feels like any of those super hero movies, where our main character is presented as hero, facing a dilemma from his actions, where any power comes with a responsibility, and sometimes either the director or the actor make us feel like we need to have sympathy for him and he is as vulnerably as any victim when mostly is just side effects from a major event, bringing all kind of perspectives from it.

And on the other side, we get our villains best represented by the insurance and people behind the investigation from the federal aviation committee. They are definitely determined to find the error in this heroic act. For them the fact that lives have been saved is no major deal, but the fact that an airplane was landed and lost when all simulations seem to prove that following protocol was the right to do, putting the pilot under the spotlight as someone unable to accomplish his job and following orders.  Sadly we don't get to know much of the past from our main character to understand his motives and why he cares that much for others and understand what was going on his mind?. Other than he has been flying since young age and he is passionate about it, just proves him as an experienced pilot making us move towards his version of the story, and even we get to meet his family we don't know much about his relationship with them, feeling like was just brought in to add some family drama to the story, looking him being targeted by reporters and agents, we can't see how this impact his emotions and feelings and his family, he only seems to be preoccupied for others and save his career from going down, this mostly cause will affect being able to pay the mortgage. So even we are touched by the events of someone saving the day in a city that just saw two airplanes crashing to their most beloved and representative towers just a few years ago, and bringing together a group of people will definitely touch even the coldest heart we are missing being touched by the most important one.

But the most interesting and worth part of this story comes when we are able to go back to reality when corporations are becoming the rulers of this new era. They pursue their interest and mostly their capital, seeking for their best and avoiding losing anything, from reputation to capital, and they are willing to bring anyone down in order to come across for what it takes. So when insurances and corporations get slapped from what their trying to do just to realize that is nonsense and we are not a bunch of statistics, or just another number in their system but mere humans, with a life and feelings and emotions, no matter if simulations will try to prove a point and allowing a protocol to say what is right or wrong, missing the human factor is key to make a difference that turn events in different directions. It wasn't an auto pilot flying the plane, but two pilots, two human beings, that adds the fact they faced their emotions from unpredictable circumstances, then realizing what were getting into, the need to make a decision in a matter of just a few seconds under a lot of stress, and all that any simulation can't compare to. And that's when heroism gets a new meaning and we realize that even machines are ruling our life and we are surrounded by technology supposedly to make our life easier and more comfortable, this is just what corporations are looking to, to replace us just to get more money and our money, there will be things that can not be change as an emotion or human behavior will be needed in order to achieve the main goal and that scene or moment is worth any ticket price, just to prove not everything is lost yet.