Review of Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) by Eloip. — 24 Jun 2004

This movie could have been MUCH better if it were a bit more even-handed. Not EVERY soldier in Iraq is completely dissolutioned, has become a democrat, and likes to torture prisoners. But more importantly and more concretely, I happen to know about 10 friends who joined the military when I was around college age, guys who all grew up in one of the two wealthiest suburbs of Los Angeles.

They all were raised in nice areas, with nice houses, had cars when they were 16, but felt the need to give service to their countries. And most of them happened to be white. Those people do exist. They are not ALL poor minorities who join the military as enlisted men.

Moore's message is SO one-sided, that he drowns the power out of his well-reasoned message, which was stated toward the end of the movie: If these wonderful young people are willing to give their lives for our country, our leaders owe it to them not to go to war unless it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

Such an elegant point, and something which could have been explored with more nuance than simply showing graphic images of bloody Iraqi citizens to prove that war is to be avoided at all costs. Was the military action in iraq absolutely necessary? You be the judge.

I just wish that Moore given it a better shot.