July 6th, 2002I don't really feel like writing this right now, but the show must go on...
So Fahrenheit 9/11 is the most controversial movie since... well... The Passion of the Christ... which wasn't that long ago...
Anyway, I don't really wanna get into too much of a political argument here, but I think it will be somewhat unavoidable. Before I do that, let's look at the film itself as a work of cinema.
Two things that really stood out to me were the editing, and the music. The editing in the film was masterful, especially since it was mostly made up of archive footage. The whole movie had a good pace and blended very nicely.
The music was perfect. It's been a long time since I heard such a good score for a film, and even the songs that Moore threw in there fit very well.
Overall, the film achieved one of the most important goals of cinema: it was two hours of thorough entertainment. I was glued to the screen the whole time, even during the minute where sound was playing, but no picture (a fairly gutsy move, but I think it worked).
Now, Michael Moore is very skilled as a filmmaker, but if only he could put out a real documentary... Being the epitome of the screaming liberal, he can't seem to repress his political desires long enough. It's really too bad, because I think in some ways it compromises his integrity and maybe even the integrity of those who share his views.
But... Here's the thing: as a friend of mine said, if even 10% of the movie is accurate, then Bush has no business being in the White House (in case anybody had any doubts).
I really think everybody should see this movie, regardless of political affiliation. If you're a democrat, it will probably strengthen your views, and you will probably clap at the end. If you are a Republican, I think you will probably hate it and come out claiming that it's all bullshit. But at least you will know enough about it that you can have an intelligent conversation about it.
I read somewhere that Bush has no intention of seeing the movie. Why not? If Michael Moore's points aren't valid, then Bush would be able to refute them and make himself look good. But of course if they are valid, and he can't lie well enough to cover his ass, then... well, I guess he's better off not seeing it.
My rating: 9/10