'Rising': Tribute on hallowed ground
A view of the south pool waterfall with the Freedom Tower in the background as work continues on the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site. (Aug. 4, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
THE DOCUMENTARY "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero"
WHEN | WHERE Six-hour series begins tonight from 8 to 11 on Discovery; concludes next Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m.
REASON TO WATCH The commercial-free special documents the rebuilding of Ground Zero, from the memorial to the 104-story tower that eventually will go up on the site; Steven Spielberg is executive producer.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT The first hour is devoted to the most visible -- and for now emblematic -- structure on the World Trade Center construction site, the pavilion that will house the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which may become the city's biggest tourist attraction. There are a couple of separate but related stories -- the construction of the Daniel Libeskind-designed memorial and museum; and a look at the artifacts that will one day be on display (the actual museum isn't set to open until next year), including "Big Red," the demolished ladder truck from FDNY Ladder 3, which lost 11 men that day. The memorial itself is buttressed by one of the remnant retaining walls that kept out the Hudson River. Two of the so-called "tridents," or the famed arches around the base of both buildings, have been placed in the center atrium.
MY SAY Watch tonight and you'll be left with the impression that the construction of the memorial was a seamless process soaked in goodwill. Not quite. Even before the first backloader scooped up the first bucket of dirt, there were complaints about everything from the siting (too deep underground) to the admission price ($20, except for relatives of victims, who pay nothing).
"Rising" ignores the critics, too, which means this is less a reported examination of the project than a tribute to it. If you're fine with that -- and there's nothing wrong with tributes -- then dive right in. There's plenty to savor, and plenty to learn. There's no disputing the visceral emotional investment of those who have built it. This is hallowed ground.
What's most powerful, and disturbing, are the glimpses of those "relics" -- a demolished cop car, or a piece of twisted steel that looked like it was forged in hell. In a way it was: This was the so-called "impact beam," where one of the planes hit.
BOTTOM LINE A must-watch for those who want to look at the future of Ground Zero.
GRADE B+
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