Yes, Michael Moore (he of the infamous Oscar speech) takes pot-shots at Bush and his colleagues. Yes, the opening credits are structured around Bush and his government officials goofing off and making faces before they go before a camera lens. And, yes, Moore's film loses resonance due to this.
Moore's scathing politically charged documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" spends too much time in proving Dubya is an idiot. We already knew that thanks to countless of comedians and late-night talk show hosts. An early scene showing the President sitting in a classroom of children after being told the Twin Towers had been attacked is a particular misleading scene. Bush's facial expression's are saying more than Moore narrates and in his desire to persecute Bush gave this viewer an bad taste in his mouth. But it is what follows these scenes of light humour is what really counts and that allow "Fahrenheit 9/11" to be become a sensational piece of filmmaking..
Michael Moore ("Bowling For Columbine", "Roger & Me") is determined to make his new film a launching pad for discussion. Moore has cultivated much information in the hope of filling as much of the 2 hour running time with the President's questionable antics. And, in the meantime forms an eye-opening and shocking expose on a man that is meant to be the leader of the free world.
He donates the first section of the film, the time prior to September 11, to showing him as a dumb fool who doesn't do any work. Naturally, this is the weakest part of the film. It is what follows in the middle segment that proves to be some of the most powerful stuff to hit the cinema in a long time.
While I will make no claim to know the truth, I will wholeheartedly admit to being shocked beyond belief. Could September 11 really have neen used by businesses in affiliation with Bush as a profit-spinner? Are all these businesses that legitimately profited from that fateful day, all connected to Bush as the film promotes? Was the war on Iraq based on deliberately falsified documents?
Well, if as I suspect, Moore's film is filled with more accusations and assumptions that rock hard facts, then it's still successful. You can't come away from this film and not think about it. You can't simply forget all the connections made between Bush and the Saudi's (which the film points out, were the main parties involved in the acts on 9/11). Surely Bush isn't really involved with the Bin Laden's... well, the footage and information found here is certainly opinion-swaying.
The other segment of the film that fascinated me was the part donated to the Iraq war. As someone who wasn't originally against the war but as it went on had my feelings change, I can say they're right back to where they were. I honestly came away from this film have no idea why there was a war in Iraq. And not only was the war unneeded, but it's also degenerating into a farce.
Moore includes much unseen footage including sights of American militants pointing to and taunting hooded Iraqi men. Is this what Bush wanted when he said he wanted a free Iraq?
Similarly to "Bowling For Columbine" the director uses footage of everyday Americans to bolster the emotional impact of the film. Scenes involving a Soldier's mother are particularly heartbreaking. The final letter from their son and a breakdown in front of the White House are scenes that nobody, even Moore detractors, can deny pack plenty of emotional punch. Along with an Iraqi mother crying for her relatives, Bush just appears to keep being buried deeper and deeper into a hole..
I probably haven't made much sense here today, and that's because the film has a lot for the viewer to pay attention to. Stat's and figures fly thick and fast. Names of businesses and businessmen alike are thrown at us every few minutes. But by the end of the film you see that they are all connected in a way that may seem hard to believe, but you know what they say? Sometimes the most outlandish answer is the correct one.
A-, See it and decide for yourself, in the meantime I thought it was shocking, emotionally draining and extremely powerful filmmaking.