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An entertaining way to get the questions.
by Yahoo! Movies User (movies profile)
May 9, 2007
44
of
61 people found this review helpful
What the hell is wrong with America?
Specifically, why does the U.S. have such an astronomically-high rate of gun-related homicides, in comparison to just about everyone else in the world? Michael Moore's Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine seeks out the answers in that mean-spirited, darkly humorous way that only Michael Moore can bring us.
The centerpiece of the film is, naturally, the Columbine High School massacre. As my original hometown is Littleton, I am quite familiar with the details (for the record, Columbine High School is not really in Littleton. It's in un-incorporated Jefferson County. Littleton is in Araphahoe County. They should find their own city name. There, I feel better.)
While Moore uses much of the film to take pot shots at the NRA, he also manages to look at the big picture. The problem is not so simple as gun availability. Nor is it just the movies, music and video games (Japanese cinema is a lot more violent. And where do you think those video games came from?) Moore looks at many aspects of our society in the hunt for what makes us predators. He doesn't find the answer, but then, who has? It's at least some food for thought.
The point that clicked for me was the fear-based media. Having lived in Korea for a while, I'd forgotten just how much panic is fomented by the nightly news: murder, terrorism, faulty plumbing, e boli. It's gotten to the point where using a toilet could kill you.
You see, in Korea, the nightly news is still a source of information, not fear. Each night, the viewer is informed of what happened that day, without the use of scary words. It's quite surprising, considering that more than half of the population lives within range of the North Korean artillery.
And you may disagree, explaining that the media is keeping us informed of dangers around us. Well, bah! Life is dangerous. Everything could kill you. You can either accept that fact and move on with your life, or you can lock yourself away. I live with the reality that, every time the U.S. threatens North Korea (and vice-versa), I could be wiped out along with 22 million other people. Get a grip.
Anyway, like most of Moore's work, Bowling for Columbine is preachy at times. And he plays around with facts, using them for his own advantage. Michael Moore does love his soapbox. But hey, all politics is spin (sorry, Bill O'Reilly). That doesn't make it any less entertaining. And like Moore's other works, this film is certainly entertaining.
To me, Moore is just trying to get people to open their eyes and realize that we have a serious problem in America. Sure, they may already know that, but what's accomplished by not talking about it? The American media seems to operate on the concept of repeating the same crap over and over again. So what is the answer? I don't know. But Bowling for Columbine is an entertaining way to get the questions. |
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