Quite surprisingly, I absolutely love documentaries like Fahrenheit 9/11. It might be because I like to know what’s behind the scenes, but everything about these types of documentaries I really admire. Another documentary that hit upon a similar topic was The Arrivals. The Arrivals also hit upon the inside story of 9/11, but in much more detail. I’m really fond of how these types of films present their information and how convincing they can be. Of course, we should all still be aware of why and how the information is presented but I feel it’s amazing to create such a wonderful piece of work filled with information from numerous sources. Making such films really requires a lot of effort and determination.
Fahrenheit 9/11 hits upon many political issues. It starts with the political controversy over Bush’s election, the policies of the government at that time, and how they changed over the years. A lot of the film explored the inconsistencies of the Bush administration and how poorly they handled 9/11. According to the film, before the attacks, Bush was careless and overlooked the terror threats surrounding the nation. Even after the attacks, he was slow to react. However, every move that Bush made was for his own families’ benefit and not really in the interest of the nation. For instance, what did Iraq really have to do with the September 11 attacks? Nothing really. Also how is it that the Bush family was so close to the alleged terrorists? We learn that a lot of the actions hidden from the common citizen had to do a lot with money. Everything done was for economic gain and control of the market.
Moore narrates the film using a semi serious tone but still uses some humor in his approach. He also cleverly chose sources that are vital witnesses or experts of the 9/11 attacks, Iraq and Afghan War, and the whole economic scandal behind it. These people are effective in proving the weak structure of the government’s actions because they are primary sources. He also uses historical facts to prove his points more efficiently. The structure of the documentary also helps to convince the audience. It starts off by showing some clips of Bush that were shown later in the film, in the beginning. This is effective because it shows the viewer a sneak peak in what would happen throughout the film. Furthermore, it gives us more of an interest to what Moore is trying to prove. The film explains how one thing led to another, chronologically. The election of Bush and the debate around his victory is shown in the beginning and the events followed are shown in order (more or less). The election is an example of how structure is used to support the unsuccessful nature of Bush. From the start, we already start to dislike him for basically cheating his way into the election. Additionally, towards the end we view the struggle of the families that have loved ones in Afghanistan and/or Iraq. We sympathize with all the troops that have lost their lives and those that are still losing their lives. With this, Moore tries to prove that the war is unnecessary and has caused many families to fall apart.
Throughout this documentary, Moore specifically chooses certain pictures and videos to evoke emotion in us. We feel angry, betrayed, sorry, and sad all in one sitting. He effectively uses this technique to persuade his audience. I think Fahrenheit 9/11 was a great movie overall and I really enjoyed watching it.
