FahrenHYPE 9/11

Oh boy. If you're searching for a clearheaded, non-partisan response to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, look elsewhere. Peterson's FahrenHYPE is the cinematic equivalent of the political right saying "your mama!" to the left. Instead of objectively outlining the faults in Moore's piece, it features the usual band of pro-war Republican cheerleaders (Ann Coulter, Dick Morris, etc.) espousing the virtues of George W. Bush, brows furrowed and all. While there's no arguing that Moore's film is slanted and even dubious in places, Peterson's attempt at a rebuttal takes just as many liberties with information and could be accused of having more of a political agenda than Moore's film ever had. By the end, you'll find yourself wondering if you've just been duped into watching a poorly executed Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign video. Basically, FahrenHYPE 9/11 is the film version of David Kopel's infamous report, "Fifty-nine Deceits in Fahrenheit 9/11," only more gnawingly patriotic. There's loads of flag waving while the filmmakers steer off topic, looking to shake the audience with lingering shots of war memorials and soldiers bowing to 9/11 grave sites. We're reminded that Moore (that duplicitous un-American bastard!) wanted those soldiers and innocents to die in order to assert his anti-war stance. That's right, it wasn't that he just didn't want to see a bunch of people massacred in a senseless war. What it comes down to is whether you like Moore or not, there are reasons why his film won the Palme d'Or, while Peterson's was dumped straight to video. FahrenHYPE 9/11 is poorly made (think 90 minutes of talking heads), morally bent (they compare Moore to Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl), shockingly arrogant ("if you lose faith in the U.S., you've undermined the only consistent force of good in this world"), jingoistic swill. (Michael & Me LP, www.fahrenhype911.com)