] "FAHRENHEIT 9/11," is a guided missile aimed directly at
] the presidency of George W. Bush, just four months ahead
] of the national election.

] Its political purpose is unequivocal. But here's the part
] that matters: Its trajectory is guided with pinpoint
] accuracy. With an ironic narrative that takes us from the
] Florida debacle that decided the 2000 presidential
] election to the political nettling aftermath of war in
] Iraq, "Fahrenheit 9/11" sagely uses the public record,
] the facts and the president's goofiest statements and
] on-camera performances to score its points.
]
] Documentaries aren't news articles; they're subjective
] points of view, which is why Moore has almost endless fun
] at the president's expense. (Attorney General John
] Ashcroft gets his share of ridicule, too.) "Fahrenheit
] 9/11" obviously skews facts to its own advantage, but
] that's what the game is all about. What counts is the
] emotional power of Moore's persuasion. With a combination
] of events and facts that we have already learned, and
] some that we haven't, Moore puts it all together. You can
] understand the thread of his argument, even if you
] disagree.
]
] What's remarkable, too, is Moore's departure from his
] usual obnoxious bluster. This is the first film from
] Moore where you don't think about the shrillness of his
] sanctimony so much as the urgency of his outrage. He lets the documentary speak for itself: a radical strategy for a man best known for megaphone-toting rantings and candid-camera-style stunts.

What are the movie's points? It accuses the president and his inner circle (including James Baker and financial adviser James R. Bath) of being so financially and personally connected to friends in high Saudi Arabian places, they were too compromised to take decisive action against Osama bin Laden. The film also claims that, after planes struck the World Trade Center in 2001, and there was a moratorium on all commercial flights around the country, the Bush administration helped many members of the wealthy bin Laden family evacuate the country -- by plane.

The strong implication is that these evacuations were performed during the flight ban. This may be the film's iffiest moment, in terms of accuracy, but there's no easy way to verify or discredit this. If it is indeed true, it's an explosive revelation.

Get all the up-to-the-minute 'Fahrenheit 9/11' news at the F911 News and Information Blog: http://f911.blogspot.com

'Fahrenheit 9/11' opens today nationwide.

'Fahrenheit 9/11' Turns Up the Heat (washingtonpost.com)