With everything that has been happening in the country, it is completely understandable if you are not looking to revisit yet another polarizing political topic. This might ring especially true if you are viewing that topic through the lens of Michael Moore, arguably the most iconic documentarian of our time who has a way of raising the ire of both sides of the political spectrum. As controversial of a figure as Moore is to this day, you cannot argue with the exposure he has brought to the field of documentaries and notable topics that truly need a national spotlight. After coming off one of the most contentious presidential elections of our time, it is fascinating to draw parallels to the lead-up to the 2004 election that Moore tried to sway in his smash hit Fahrenheit 9/11, which would go on to become the highest-grossing documentary of all time. Moore failed to persuade the country to vote against President Bush, but the film was successful in bringing many topics to light that are worth remembering to this day.
Before proceeding any further, it is important to point out that Michael Moore is not really interested in being a documentary filmmaker in the traditional sense. Moore is an entertainer who often eschews hard facts in favor of pushing his own political agenda further forward. Even if you agree with what he is saying, as I often do, it is difficult to stand behind him as some sort of arbiter of truth. More than perhaps any documentary filmmaker who has ever lived, Michael Moore wants to be part of the story, not just a spectator. As a piece of entertainment, Fahrenheit 9/11 is an extremely compelling look at many of the failings and outright deception that plagued the Bush administration in the years surrounding 9/11. Moore cherry-picks the most damning moments of Bush’s early tenure that would be most likely to persuade voters at the time not to re-elect him. Moore lays down a heavy-handed narration that does not want to leave you room to draw your own conclusions. The approach is blunt, but he provides enough eyebrow-raising information that you will be left wanting to head to Google after you are done to fact-check a few choice moments.
Beneath the sledgehammer of a viewpoint he is bringing to this film are some very salient topics that are worth exploring. In the years since the film was released, we have learned even more how the United States entered into a conflict with Iraq under false pretenses. Moore touches on this in the film, but it is his examination of the recruitment tactics that offers a gut punch that still sting just as much today. Moore posits that the most vulnerable communities among us – those barely surviving and plagued by poverty – are honed in on like injured prey to join the military while those of greater means hang back and let others do their fighting for them. This is not a condemnation of the military – Moore actually seems to have a great respect for those who serve – but rather a rebuke of a practice that makes certain individuals feel like they do not have any other choice. This is highlighted in Moore’s typical theatrical fashion when he brings a grieving mother who lost her son in the war to D.C. to approach members of the government to volunteer that they send their own children to fight in the war.
This is Moore in a nutshell. He is big, loud and brash as he fights for what he believes to be right. Even those on his side can argue that he can be a bit much. But he knew that this is what it would take to get eyeballs on his work, and boy did it ever. Through modern eyes, you can understand that he was using the tactic of “the loudest voice wins.” Through his words and his stunts, he created a piece of entertainment that spoke to many people – but not enough to swing the vote, apparently. In terms of the filmmaking, it is not as considered as some of his best work. There are several detours throughout the film that do not seem to add to the argument he is trying to make about the administration of the time in a cohesive way. As an individual piece of information, it is worth knowing, but when considered as a part of an overall work it just adds to an already substantial runtime. Nevertheless, when he is focused he is very dynamic and compelling to a degree. Those who know and accept his schtick will enjoy this as the piece of entertainment it is. Anyone looking for more than that will want to do some independent research afterwards.
Video Quality
Fahrenheit 9/11 makes its Blu-Ray debut with an incredibly solid 1080p transfer that presents the movie really well. This film is a mixture of newer man-on-the-street interviews with healthy amounts of archival footage interspersed throughout, which provides different levels of visual quality. The more recent interviews look noticeably better than inconsistent archival footage, especially with the news stories from sources around the world that are very pixelated. Overall, the quality of each source seems to be derived from the best elements available. Skin tones look natural and details hold up fairly well. Colors have some amount of depth to them and black levels are much stronger than the old DVD littered with compression artifacting. The image is a bit soft in certain situations with noticeable haziness under less favorable scenarios. This may not be a film destined to be a visual knockout, but this high definition presentation offers a very pleasing upgrade that allows for a more consistent look throughout.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with both a Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks that get the job done pretty well. Dialogue is pretty consistently clear throughout with only occasional moments where sound gets a bit muddled in more frenetic settings, such as when Moore is ambushing people on the street. Surround speakers add a bit of texture to the proceedings, mostly in the form of musical cues, news commentary and crowd chatter. The beginning of the film features a black screen where you hear some audio from the 9/11 attacks that provides an unsettling amount of activity in the low end. There are other moments of bombing in the Middle East that hit harder than you expect, as well. This track appears to be free from any damage or other issues that would lessen your enjoyment. This presentation is about as good as the source material will allow. Optional English subtitles are provided for those who desire them.
Special Features
- The Release of Fahrenheit 9/11: An eleven-minute featurette that details the film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and beyond which features fun sound bites from figures such as Quentin Tarantino, Tilda Swinton and many more. More interesting than the known names within is the candid footage from everyday people coming out of the film and sharing their opinion.
- Eyewitness Account from Samara, Iraq: An eighteen-minute account from Swedish journalist Urban Hamid about his time embedded with Charlie Company during a raid in Iraq in December 2003.
- Lila Lipscomb at the Washington D.C. Premiere: A five-minute featurette which features remarks from one of the subjects in the film at a screening.
- Montage – The People of Iraq on the Eve of Invasion: An eight-minute look at the general demeanor of the citizens of Iraq before bombs were dropped on them which paints a much less fearsome picture than certain figures may have in the media.
- New Scene – “Homeland Security, Miami Style”: A three-minute unused scene which shows retirees patrolling the border in Miami.
- Outside Abu Ghraib Prison: A seven-minute look at a day when the infamous prison was scheduled to release a number of “low risk” prisoners. The stories from those with loved ones in the prison and those being released are very rough to hear.
- Extended Interview – More with Abdul Henderson: A nearly eight-minute extension of the footage with the Marine Corporal featured in the film.
- Arab American Comedians – Their Acts and Experiences After 9/11: A nearly eleven-minute look at how the events of 9/11 impacted comedians such as Ahmed Ahmed, Nasry Malak and more.
- Condoleezza Rice’s 9/11 Commission Testimony: The eight-minute testimony from Rice is included here in which she answers questions about Bush’s prior knowledge of a potential terrorist attack among other issues.
- George W. Bush’s Rose Garden Press Briefing After 9/11 Commission Appearance: A nearly six-minute speech from President Bush following a briefing with the 9/11 commission in which he does not say much of substance.
- Trailers: A trailer for Fahrenheit 9/11 is provided here. Trailers for other MVD releases are also featured including Shit the President Says, One Nation Under Trump, Trump: The Art of the Insult and The Squad.
Final Thoughts
Fahrenheit 9/11 is a very thought-provoking film that should be viewed as entertainment rather than a sole source for news. Michael Moore is a very polarizing figure for a reason, and his role as an entertainer often supersedes his role as an objective documentarian. MVD Entertainment has given this landmark film a pleasing upgrade to Blu-Ray with a strong A/V presentation and an assortment of entertaining special features. You likely already know if you are the type of person who jives with what Michael Moore offers in his films. If you happen to be such a person, this disc should please you. Recommended
Fahrenheit 9/11 is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
