MOVIE - BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$$ (Out of 10)
STARRING MICHAEL MOORE with appearances by: GEORGE W. BUSH, DICK CLARK, CHARLTON HESTON, MARILYN MANSON, JOHN NICHOLS AND MATT STONE.
A documentary, by Michael Moore (Roger & Me), that explores the violent gun culture in the United States that is responsible for over 11,000 gun related deaths a year in the U.S.
Bowling for Columbine was unanimously awarded a specially created 55th Anniversary Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.
Bowling for Columbine is a well crafted, thought-provoking, sad and ironically humorous documentary. It tackles it's subject matter with a revealing, unforgiving lens. Cultural icons are reduced to blabbering idiots and crackpots. One of the scariest aspect, of Bowling for Columbine's deconstruction of those who blindly champion the right to bear arms, is that when challenged these individuals cannot adequately articulate and defend their beliefs and positions. This inability hasn't stopped these advocates from relentlessly pushing their message with little regard for the consequences. Their message, oft-repeated sound bites and appeals to patriotism, resonate with their followers who have even less of an understanding of the sociological and political consequences of pursuing such a course of action.
Another scary aspect of, Bowling for Columbine, is the recognition that once the pandora's box of forces that create such a violent gun culture are unleashed it is virtually impossible to put the lid back on the box. Moore's documentary, is itself, unable to even remotely answer the question it poses. American culture, by any objective standard, beneath the surface is beset with a cancer that cannot be easily excised. What is so potentially problematic is that with the ever increasing globalization of media, and the mass exportation of American cultural values in the process, can the rest of the world be far behind in contracting this particular American disease?
Moore is not entirely consistent in making his argument. He seeks to belittle the notion that Marilyn Manson, and others, have the ability to influence today's youth while at the same time claiming other forms of media have the capacity to do so. Moore also points out the hypocrisy of leading politicians who denounce such violence, such as what occurred at Columbine, while simultaneously leading wars against other countries. Moore fails to distinguish between right and wrong in the process. He also later argues this militaristic foreign policy is not a sufficient explanation, of the prevalence of violence in American society, thus undermining his own argument to some extent.
Bowling for Columbine's impact may be lessened by the fact that it is preaching to the previously converted. I doubt die hard members of the NRA, or other right-wing groups, will be lining up to see it. I further doubt they would be swayed by it if they did see it.
That being said, Bowling for Columbine, is an important sociological examination of a pressing social problem that forces open-minded individuals to challenge their preconceptions. I strongly recommend it.
Alternative Reviews:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-news-bowling18f.html
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/review.asp?mid=2044989
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/BowlingforColumbine-1117183/
Official Website:
http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/
MY TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2002 LIST
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2003
David Schwartz.
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8/9/03; 11:06:34 PM.
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