There's a little too much Moore polemic in this documentary to make it truly great - especially when you consider his previous track record for making features that are fairly balanced. Early works such as Bowling for Columbine and Roger & Me are great examples of guerilla documentary-making, but at least they show a natural progression which allows the story to be developed by the circumstances that occur during their creation. Who could forget the brutal rabbit slaying in Roger & Me, or Columbine's crippling of K-Mart? What about the final confrontation between NRA member Moore and its president Charlton Heston, which culminated in the previously macho former movie star skulking away in disgrace? These are fantastic scenes that emphasise the importance of each documentary's subject matter.
The problem with Farenheit 9/11 is that Moore has already explored many of the themes in his last two books - Stupid White Men and Dude Where's My Country? Add the fact that he's been pretty heavily involved in the preliminary presidential candidate elections and its a recipie for disaster. Instead of informing (or at least giving an unbiased overview of the current state of affairs in the US), Moore continuously strives to implant his own opinions and critiques rather than to take a step back and let his audience decide. There's insinuations aplenty as circumstantial events are cunningly linked together to make arguments and analysis - effectively turning Moore into a commentating historian rather than a craftsman - and although its probably all true, there's very little evidence to back up his claims.
All of this doesn't necessarily make Farenheit a particularly bad film, but it certainly doesn't make it a phenomenal one worthy of the coveted Palm D'Or at Cannes. Rather, what we're presented with is a solid 3-star offering that is entertaining, but rarely truly informative. And when you're comparing it to previous work such as Bowling for Columbine, its a bit of a disappointment to say the least.
The problem with Farenheit 9/11 is that Moore has already explored many of the themes in his last two books - Stupid White Men and Dude Where's My Country? Add the fact that he's been pretty heavily involved in the preliminary presidential candidate elections and its a recipie for disaster. Instead of informing (or at least giving an unbiased overview of the current state of affairs in the US), Moore continuously strives to implant his own opinions and critiques rather than to take a step back and let his audience decide. There's insinuations aplenty as circumstantial events are cunningly linked together to make arguments and analysis - effectively turning Moore into a commentating historian rather than a craftsman - and although its probably all true, there's very little evidence to back up his claims.
All of this doesn't necessarily make Farenheit a particularly bad film, but it certainly doesn't make it a phenomenal one worthy of the coveted Palm D'Or at Cannes. Rather, what we're presented with is a solid 3-star offering that is entertaining, but rarely truly informative. And when you're comparing it to previous work such as Bowling for Columbine, its a bit of a disappointment to say the least.