Customer Reviews

Fahrenheit 9/11

5 star:		(1,079)
4 star:		(243)
3 star:		(95)
2 star:		(69)
1 star:		(465)

 

 

There are many memorable images in Farenheit 9/11, Bush reading "my pet goat" after the second plane hit, the wailing Iraqi mother who lost her family, Gore and Deniro partying after the Democrats short lived win - but the one that really sticks in my mind and manages to sums it all up succinctly is the elderly woman at the bingo hall who saw through the tainted slant of the media and the ever shifting reasons for invading Iraq and exclaims with toal contempt "we were duped"! Its an epiphany many of us are waking up to now, thanks to a fat white guy who currently happens to be more dispised by the religious right then Marylyn Manson or Anton Levay.

To hear it from the naysayers, Michael Moore stands in front of a camera for 2 hours launching vicious slander against righteous George. The truth of the matter is we almost never see Moore, Bush himself is the "star" of Fanrenheit 9/11 and whatever opinion the audience ends up drawing, it is based on Bush's own words and actions. The religious right has us so transfixed we find ourselves saying things like "even if the movie is only 90% true..." Well i went through the exhaustive reference material available on www.michaelmoore.com and every assertion, every statement has been published somewhere before in the mainstream media based on traceable data. Unfortunately with just 5 guys controlling this information an article about the White house flying the Bin Laden family back to Saudi Arabia where 15 of the hijackers originated came from quickly dissapears from print and funnily enough is NOT the lead story on FOX news, I wonder why.

Moore plays his cards just right, I have watched this film with several groups of republican voters and fundamentalist Christians who would typically vote for George the anti-choice pro descrimination conservative. When Lila Liscombe reads the final letter from her son before he died serving in Iraq she breaks down in the point of his letter "Thank you for the Bible". It suddenly begins to dawn on these conservatives that Bush and his republican cohorts have behaved in a decidedly Un-Christian way in sending thousands of innocent men and women to unnecessary deaths, while Osama Bin Forgotton. I have watched every single Christian conservative melt like an ice cube thorugh this section of the film, indeed anyone without a heart of stone could not help but be touched by the Liscombe family. My female friends weep and the men sit in stunned silence "Im flaberghasted" is all one could manage at the conclusion.

This is as heavy handed as the film will get, the documentary itself is incredible not just from the content but in that we almost have a new doco genre here "tragi-comedy". What we witness in Farenheit 9/11 makes you angry enough to jump out of your seat and enrole to vote (even when you live on the other side of the world like me), it makes you want to weep at the injustice, all while you cannot help but laugh a hysterical laugh at the complete absurdity and stupidity we ourselves remain responsible for. I can not imagine a more important film being released this decade.

Ps If you think Michael is in it for the money he is losing millions in DVD sales to rush the release and attempt to have the film shown free on TV. He withdrew his nomination for best documentary Oscar on the chance a network will screen the film before the Election. I have a new American hero

Firstly, I am not from the US. It seems to have become a hobby of Americans to wear their politics rather vocally on their sleeves. Looking up info about his film, if you're any kind of regular net-surfer, you will likely have seen verbal volleys directed back and forth between democratic supporters and republican supporters. What ends up happening is the equivalent of an elementary school name-calling contest rather than any discussion of the film as is. Yes, there are parts of this movie presented out of context. One example: When the Taliban visit Texas in this film, they were there by invitation from the Clinton administration, even though Bush is Texas governor. However, what works in this film is seeing a result of one presidential administration's decisions (and indecisions in one almost tragically comical scene) and its effects on people in two countries. The interspersal of Lila Lipscomb's patriotism to outrage to utter sadness are the most moving parts of this film. Seeing the effects of the war on those who were on the front lines and discovering what is never mentioned on US newscasts is a powerful series of images. The interviews with shell-shocked, amputee soldiers in rehab are frightening to behold, knowing that there are what is nearing 10,000 of these men returning to the USA, and to what kind of reception? Seeing Moore on the streets of DC telling members of congress to sign their adult children up for military service is hilarious to watch, especially seeing the reactions of the congressmen.

For me, all of these changes in mood, from disbelief, to horror, to unbounded laughter are what make this a 4 star film. Taking it in context of just a theater goer, and not a potential voter, make me agree with why this film won the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Festival. There are powerful messages here, despite personal politics and should be seen by anyone who is a citizen of this planet, not just the US.

I am a lifelong Republican, as my prior Amazon reviewing can attest. I have rarely seen a Democrat politician I can stand, much less their stance on issues. I stongly believe in core conservative fiscal policies, and consider myself a social conservative on most issues as well. This will never change.

When I first heard about Fahrenheit 9/11, I was disgusted, as it sounded like Moore was profitting from our nation's greatest tragedy. Eventually, one of my co-workers offered to buy me a ticket (no way was I going to give my money to Moore), and I did sit through a showing.

When I came out of that theater, I thought my head was going to explode. Many of my general perceptions about Bush had been virtually demolished. I had sat there and watched the damn footage. With my own eyes.

I can no longer stomach even looking at Bush on the evening news. Having seen what a phony he is, pompously acting his way through his scripted speeches, trying hard to deceive me, having glimpsed the real man behind the veneer, I cannot even believe that I once held him in esteem, let alone voted for the guy.

Needless to say, I won't be making the same mistake twice. I don't support Kerry, as he isn't in line with my views politically or fiscally. No, I'm going to sit this election out. I'm disgusted with my candidate, and I won't have the Oval Office occupied by someone so shallow, stupid, and phony. Anyone who says this movie isn't persuasive hasn't met me. It changed my mind but good. And yes, I live in a swing state.

This film is a brilliantly-contrived and choreographed emotional roller coaster ride that incites a quite palpable resulting attitude of disgust, dismay, and disdain on the of the viewer. Mr. Moore manipulates the images, voice-overs and antics to both amuse and outrage us all at once, in an obviously outrageously satirical (and sometimes hysterical) look at the war in Iraq and the people who engineered us into invading that country, at terrible cost to ordinary American men and women.

In essence that is the simple message of this pseudo-documentary; that simple, trusting and basically honorable young and patriotic Americans are being badly abused and misled by an administration and a government out of control, a government which, in Mr. Moore's view of the world, serves its people up to slaughter without worry and care. After all, it is not, as he so comically and memorably demonstrates, the sons and daughters of the governing elite who serve and die in God-forsaken places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thus, in one chaotic series of vignettes, Moore corners unsuspecting Congressmen and makes a pitch to have them volunteer their kids as potential cannon-fodder for Iraq. Needless to say, the point is well taken, as only one current member of Congress has a son stationed in harm's way in Iraq. He counter-poses such banal images with those of battle casualties and struggling working class mothers crying over their lost sons after the fact. One must hasten to acknowledge that in fact, Michael Moore makes no pretense in the film of attempting to be balanced or fair; on the contrary, he is puzzled by the suggestion that he do so.

After all, as he says, the opinions coming from the environs of the Oval Office have hardly been balanced or fair. And while one may argue that he has sometimes played fast and loose with the sequences of events, or the connections between various elements tied together in the movie, there are few outright falsehoods one can point to as an example of downright misrepresentation.

He also quite cleverly puts the lie to the idea that protest or argument is somehow unpatriotic. This places an enormous burden on those who would argue one must remain silent in solidarity with the troops as a show of respect for their sacrifice. Yet it is hard to argue with Moore's logic that anyone who really cares about the welfare of the troops would take care not to misuse them or continue to place them needlessly or carelessly in harms' way. As James Bovard contends in his new book, suggesting, as Mr. Bush does continually, that by fighting the terrorists in Iraq we will avoid fighting them here, is at best an almost criminally naïve notion, and at worst, a cynical and murderous misrepresentation of what is going down in Iraq.

We are not becessarily there to preserve their freedom or ours, argues Mr. Moore, and any suggestion that such is the case will have a hard time explaining events that now transpire on an almost daily basis. Moore's intent was to ratchet up debate on the policies and practices and rationale of the neo-conservative regime current in power, and to suggest that perhaps Americans begin to question it and its motives much more closely. Thus, despite it dramatic excesses or its willingness to sometimes take liberties in connecting things which may or may not indeed be so tied, I believe in creating public controversy and stirring public debate the movie will be a stunning success, and that it may well lead to having some measurable resulting political impact on the election in the fall. Enjoy!

its funny how most people say that this was a bit over hyped but according to the 9/11 commission report the facts are there..

The September 11 Commission's 567-page final report has confirmed key facts presented in Fahrenheit 9/11. These include:

Attorney General John Ashcroft told acting FBI director Thomas Pickard that he did not want to hear anything more about terrorist threats.  Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 265

After Bush was informed of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, he went ahead with his classroom event.  After Bush was informed that the nation was under attack after the second plane hit, Bush stayed in the classroom for nearly seven more minutes, continuing to read with the children. Confirmed, Commission Report at pp. 35, 38-39.

Bush failed to have even one meeting to discuss the threat of terrorism with his head of counterterrorism Richard Clarke.  Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 201.

Bush failed to react to the August 6, 2001 security briefing, "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S. Confirmed, Commission Report at pp. 260-262.

142 Saudis, including 24 members of the bin Laden family, were allowed to leave the country after September 13. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 556, n. 25  [Note that Fahrenheit 9/11 understates the number of Saudis who left.]

Individuals were interviewed by the FBI before being allowed to leave (although the report confirms that most individuals on these flights were not interviewed.)  Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 557, n. 28.

White House former counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke approved these flights. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 329.

It should also be noted that the 9/11 Commission does not address or deem important a number of other issues either addressed in Fahrenheit 9/11 or revealed since completion of the film, including:

What exactly was the rush in getting these individuals out of the country so soon after the worst attack in U.S. history, why did Saudi Royals and bin Laden family members receive such special treatment at a time when most Americans still could not get flights (even though airspace may have been open), and how exactly were the flights arranged by the U.S. government?

Several unanswered questions posed by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) in a July 20, 2004, Grand Forks Herald column: "At a time when 14 of the 19 terrorists from Sept. 11 were Saudi citizens, how and why were six secret flights allowed to sneak 142 Saudi citizens out of the United States in the days after Sept. 11 before they were properly interrogated? How do we know they weren't properly questioned? Because Dale Watson, the No. 2 man and former head of counterterrorism at the FBI has said none of them were subjected to `serious' interrogation or questions before being allowed to leave.  In fact, we now know that at least two and perhaps more of the Saudis who were allowed to leave after Sept. 11 were under investigation by the FBI for alleged terrorist connections."

Information that came to light in Dana Milbank's July 22, 2004 Washington Post article, including the fact that at least one bin Laden family member who was allowed to leave lived with a nephew of Osama bin Laden, who "was involved in forming the U.S. branch of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth" (WAMY), which the FBI has described as "a suspected terrorist organization," and that the bin Ladens flew out of the country on the same airplane that "has been chartered frequently by the White House for the press corps traveling with President Bush."

This film's greatest success is that it holds back and lets the viewer make thier own conclusions. Moore himself, appears only once in front of the camera. This in sharp contrast to his previous films where he stood front and center. This film raises questions about arguably the most testing time since the fall of communism.

The most profound moments was seeing a mother who had lost her son in Iraq and watching her struggle with the pain that no parent should ever have to go through, the death a child. Also important was the way that Moore shows us a different and new side of this national tragedy. He lets us hear the audio from that tragic day alone, which was the most stunning depiction that I have ever been exposed to (after being shown the video hundreds of times I realized that I had become numb to the horror).

Agree or disagree with Moore, this film aids the morning and the spiritual redress of this wound. I highly recommend this film.

If you don't believe the facts presented, do your own research. Just read and watch as many different views as you have time for. Moore makes a lot of good points and draws attention to things that we all need to think about - everyone who lives in a democracy.

The only criticism that I have of this film is the kooky song about the 'Coalition of the Willing'. It implies that there were only pathetically small non-US armies involved. With Britain and several smaller countries who do have army, navy and airforce, such as my own, Australia, I think you'll find that Bush did manage to drag together something resembling a coalition to share the blame.

Otherwise it was a very moving film, even to someone who has heard most of the facts before. Seeing the families involved in the army speaking made me realise what it is sometimes easy to forget when you live outside of the US - most Americans aren't morons, some just seem to be being misled by all the Newspeak.

I attended the premier night of this film in Rochester, NY with a group of 87 people. It was a historic event.

All showings in the area were sold out. The unbiased reviews of this film can only dispute some minor time sequences, but by and large, this film is factual.

I'm not sure this film fits the description of documentary because Michael Moore is way more talented than the run of the mill film maker. The movie is informative, entertaining and eye opening. Overall, the film asks only one thing: THINK.

We collected all the ticket stubs from everyone in the theater and mailed them to GW Bush....

This film is the "must see" movie for everyone who truly believes in democracy.

This movie does have something of a spin to it. I think most mature American voters are quite capable of discounting the spin and addressing the issues raised, which are important ones; the movie may or may not influence their votes. I found much of what was shown extremely interesting and worth looking for more information about. Other parts of the film I discounted as hyperbole resulting from a passion against a certain political viewpoint.

But, although the film does have its own slant, it has never been claimed to be more than one man's view of events; it should be understood as such. And any critic who says that in this free country a person expressing a different political view from his own is a traitor has a very distorted view of what the United States is supposed to be about. Mr. Moore has put forward his entry into the "free marketplace of ideas." People of different views have done the same, and some of them also have opinions of interest. Truly, it is possible for people of honor to be loyal and well-intentioned, yet still to hold different ideas about the policies that would govern this country best. People on each side are entitled to try to win others over to their viewpoints. Personally, I liked the film very much. If some people didn't--hey, free country, right? Right?

I spend far too much time reading the news online, especially the foreign press, so I wasn't shocked or suprised by the film. In fact, I was very moved by it in many ways. I felt frustrated that the American people choose to overlook so much and give our trust so freely. You can't dispute the footage - It's real. Bush's actual documented actions do more to undermine his credibility than Michael Moore ever could make up. One thing that can't be disputed, Michael Moore is a TRUE PATRIOT, his love for America shines through!