Movie Review
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 911 poster
By Craig Younkin     Published June 26, 2004
US Release: June 25, 2004

Directed by: Michael Moore
Starring: Michael Moore

R
Running Time: 116 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $119,078,000
A
An infuriating, compelling, and incredibly moving tearjerker that should not be missed.
All great dynasties come to an end and fortunately for us, the absurdly awful ones do as well. By the end of Michael Moore's masterpiece, Fahrenheit 911, we see an America in ruin, torn apart by needless death, a complete moron and a two faced administration I wouldn't trust to tie my shoes. It is an infuriating, compelling, mildly funny, well documented, and incredibly moving tearjerker that should not be missed.

In a sea of chilling scenes, Fahrenheit 9/11 opens on a black screen accompanied with a soundtrack of the events of September 11. As you stare at this black screen, it is incredible how visceral the days? events still are in your mind. Images of people falling to their deaths, firemen searching through rubble, the bulletin board of names and faces still missing. It's still frightening enough to make your skin crawl.

It's also enough to make you realize this war was about fear, and the Bush administration, with their color bars and so on played that fear to their advantage. Bush managed to do what his dad never could, which was get rid of Saddam Hussein, and then he managed to turn it all into a profit while innocent children of both races lay dead or seriously wounded. The most heartbreaking and angering part of this movie is watching Bush talk to oil companies about how they can turn a profit in Iraq while in another scene a woman cries and falls to the ground over her dead son. I tear up just thinking about her and wonder if her world will ever look bright again. Watching it makes you understand just how wrong this war really was.

In addition to Bush's lies and benefiting, this movie explores the ties between Bush and the Bin Laden family as well as with Saudi oil companies. The amount of money they have invested in the United States is staggering. Moore also talks about the poor economic backgrounds of the kids we have fighting in Iraq, and in a brilliant scene Moore goes around asking congressmen to sign their kids up for the draft ? any takers?

Has there been any tribute or dedication to these brave kids fighting in Iraq? Has anything been done to make the United States more secure? Wasn't the bombing going on around Saddam's palaces? Were there weapons of mass destruction? Did we ever catch Osama Bin Laden or put any kind of dent in Al-Queda? The answer to these questions is a flat out "no.? This is a scathing look at what has happened after September 11th. There is hope in all of this, though, and it comes in the form of a little election going on in November. Even if you're not a voter, chances are if you see this movie, you will be. Bravo Michael Moore.
Craig's Grade: A
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
A10.9%
B41.8%
C31.8%
D15.3%
F0.3%
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'Fahrenheit 911' Articles
  • Crowd Report: "Fahrenheit 9/11"
    June 26, 2004    This is the first film I?ve ever seen where the audience has applauded many times throughout the movie, and also the first time I?ve ever seen half the crowd give a standing ovation afterwards. -- Lee Tistaert
  • Friday Box Office Analysis (6/25)
    June 26, 2004    While the documentary didn?t eclipse Spider-Man?s record opening day average of $10,901 per-screen, its holdup throughout the weekend could mirror that movie?s performance or that of the Passion. -- Lee Tistaert
  • NY Box Office Debut: "Fahrenheit 9/11"
    June 24, 2004    If ratios prove to be accurate, Fahrenheit could possibly be looking at a Friday figure in the vicinity of $8.0 million, giving the film a Star Wars-like average in the mid-$9,000 range in 868 theaters. -- Lee Tistaert
  • Michael Moore: American Muckraker or Patriot?
    June 22, 2004    From what I?ve read, seen, and heard from those against Michael Moore, not one source has been able to present neither a clear, unbiased case against him nor his films. -- Stephen Lucas
  • Cannes Film Festival Winners
    May 23, 2004    Michael Moore takes top honor, "Ladykillers" picks up an award... -- Staff of LMI