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Farhenheit 9/11 -- Michael Moore, director & writer ****+
If you read the news at all, you've probably come across some mention of this documentary. It is provocative and certainly polemic, and unapologetically so. I'm afraid that people won't see it for the wrong reasons -- because they've made up their minds already about the issues raised, because they dislike Michael Moore -- and hence the opportunity for discussion will be lost. The greatest thing about this documentary (irreverent, funny, frightening, heartbreaking, bellicose, unflinching are all words that come to mind) is the way it discloses what the mainstream media has ignored and hidden. While the last presidential election is covered only very briefly in the first five minutes or so, I found this bit more disturbing than anything else in the whole documentary. In particular the joint session of Senate and House when the results of the election had to be endorsed, with Gore presiding as Vice-President. One African-American representative after another got up to officially protest the systematic disenfranchisement of Florida voters (almost all of whom were black). Each one of these elected representatives were shaking with outrage and passion. And every time Gore had to inquire if the individual had the signature of a senator -- without which no official challenge to the election outcome can be launched. Each one of these brave people looked out into the crowd of senators and stated clearly that no single senator had come forward to sign the official protest. Not one. This brought back everything I was feeling on that day, the betrayal and outrage and bone-deep disappointment, and that feeling stayed with me throughout the entire documentary.
Fahrenheit 9/11 is not a perfect film, although I think it is better than Bowling for Columbine; Moore keeps himself mostly off camera, maybe because he was reluctant (and rightly so) to get in the way of a subject so big and so important. For no other reason, it's important to see this documentary because it's the strongest statement of support for the troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan that I've seen anywhere. The final voice-over on the subject of the troops, read by Moore:
"They serve so that we don't have to. They offer to give up their lives so that we can be free. It is, remarkably, their gift to us. And all they ask for in return is that we never send them into harm's way unless it is absolutely necessary. Will they ever trust us again?"Edited to add this link to an excellent essay by Roger Ebert on the accuracy (or lack thereof) of Moore's fact-finding.
June 26, 2004 02:27 PM
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Comments
moore is the best film maker ever and bush is the worst president ever, goto http://mystic_lonewolf.tripod.com for moore bush rock opera
Posted by: g stomberg at August 31, 2004 09:04 AM