Although, I dislike the Bush administration immensely, I didn't think this was the most brilliant film ever. It's a good film (not completely brilliant or deep, and sometimes disingenuous, but good). Michael Moore tugs on the heartstrings nicely. He represents his point of view and conveys information in a sensational-enough way that it actually wakes some people from their brain-dead slumber. Apparently it takes a sledge-hammer to wake many people up.
Facts are overstated and skewed (such as the implication that many of the Bin Laden relatives are encouraging Osama to commit terrorist acts against the US). He implies a number of things that aren't completely factual--often deceptively and manipulatively. At the same time, most of the "hard facts" he reports in the movie are taken from public sources such as government reports, newspapers, and investigative journalists. Things such as the amount that the Bushes make from their Saudi oil connections vs. the presidential pay are well documented. The movie is a mixture of exaggerated implications along with well-established facts. It can be a frustrating mixture since the sometimes misleading implications and character assassination will probably make some people doubt even the well-established facts. It becomes difficult for viewers to sort things out for themselves if they haven't been diligent in following the news for the past three years from an in-depth source. Hint: 30 minute newscasts with 8 minutes of ads are NOT in-depth (especially with all those dippy human-interest stories, along with sports and weather taking up half of those 22 minutes).
Ultimately, the movie's problems are also its strengths at the box office. It's often simplistic, misleading and sensational, but demands attention through its insistence, humor, and shock value. Moore has correctly figured out that many people won't pay attention unless they're given something shocking, big and outrageous. He delivers something that is a product of its times and meets people on their level: simplified, entertaining, manipulative, emotional, gripping and incendiary. I don't like the "dumbing down" aspects of the movie--but it's really nothing new. Fox News and Rush Limbaugh have been using these exact same techniques for years. For instance, people such as Rush Limbaugh did things such as implying that Bill Clinton had one of his friends killed when it was well-established that the friend committed suicide because of intense pressures and depression. Some of the attacks on Bush are similarly unfounded and speculative. Moore has figured out the antics of the conservative propaganda machine and beat them at their own game. He's fighting fire with fire. It's unfortunate that many of these tactics aren't always particularly honest, are divisive, and encourage emotion, rhetoric, and speculation more than rational thought or responsibility.
Perhaps for me the thing this movie does best is to summarize the very troubling aspects of the Bush administration for those who weren't bothering to pay any attention. Even despite the bias (or maybe because of it), this movie will probably wake some people up who were too busy rallying around the flag to pay any attention to what was actually happening. Even with the bias, Fahrenheit 9/11 will stir up issues and ensure that they're talked about rather than swept under the rug. Maybe this movie will even have a part in being sure that government and big business are held responsible for their acts or deception and irresponsibility if even some of the allegations it makes are shown to be true.
Facts are overstated and skewed (such as the implication that many of the Bin Laden relatives are encouraging Osama to commit terrorist acts against the US). He implies a number of things that aren't completely factual--often deceptively and manipulatively. At the same time, most of the "hard facts" he reports in the movie are taken from public sources such as government reports, newspapers, and investigative journalists. Things such as the amount that the Bushes make from their Saudi oil connections vs. the presidential pay are well documented. The movie is a mixture of exaggerated implications along with well-established facts. It can be a frustrating mixture since the sometimes misleading implications and character assassination will probably make some people doubt even the well-established facts. It becomes difficult for viewers to sort things out for themselves if they haven't been diligent in following the news for the past three years from an in-depth source. Hint: 30 minute newscasts with 8 minutes of ads are NOT in-depth (especially with all those dippy human-interest stories, along with sports and weather taking up half of those 22 minutes).
Ultimately, the movie's problems are also its strengths at the box office. It's often simplistic, misleading and sensational, but demands attention through its insistence, humor, and shock value. Moore has correctly figured out that many people won't pay attention unless they're given something shocking, big and outrageous. He delivers something that is a product of its times and meets people on their level: simplified, entertaining, manipulative, emotional, gripping and incendiary. I don't like the "dumbing down" aspects of the movie--but it's really nothing new. Fox News and Rush Limbaugh have been using these exact same techniques for years. For instance, people such as Rush Limbaugh did things such as implying that Bill Clinton had one of his friends killed when it was well-established that the friend committed suicide because of intense pressures and depression. Some of the attacks on Bush are similarly unfounded and speculative. Moore has figured out the antics of the conservative propaganda machine and beat them at their own game. He's fighting fire with fire. It's unfortunate that many of these tactics aren't always particularly honest, are divisive, and encourage emotion, rhetoric, and speculation more than rational thought or responsibility.
Perhaps for me the thing this movie does best is to summarize the very troubling aspects of the Bush administration for those who weren't bothering to pay any attention. Even despite the bias (or maybe because of it), this movie will probably wake some people up who were too busy rallying around the flag to pay any attention to what was actually happening. Even with the bias, Fahrenheit 9/11 will stir up issues and ensure that they're talked about rather than swept under the rug. Maybe this movie will even have a part in being sure that government and big business are held responsible for their acts or deception and irresponsibility if even some of the allegations it makes are shown to be true.