Bowling for Columbine (2002)

 

Whether you're a fan or not of Michael Moore's style: there's hardly any denying that he does put the finger on an open wound. Let's talk about the US' fondness of firearms and the fact that it statistically has the highest number of gun-related violence in the world. What's the reason or possible reasons behind all this? 

Of course, Moore takes the shooting at Columbine High School as a starting point. If you do not know or remember: two teenagers went on a killing spree through their high school with automated weapons and as usual, it shocked the nation. But then again, the US unfortunately has several of these shootings per year, but why is that? 

Moore dives deep into this question, even if he doesn't provide a definitive answer. Maybe that's because there isn't just one answer, but rather a culmination of things. The dead end jobs in dead end towns, where once you get labelled a loser or an outsider, you get ostracized and maybe find some sort of consolation in the fringe? Maybe the fact that anyone and everyone has an almost baffling access to weapons of any sort? 

I mean: handguns you can mentally place, but how and why would anyone want or need access to assault weapons? I mean, besides those in the army because it's part of their job equipment? Let alone kids? 

Of course, people are quick to blame violence on videogames or action films or heck: even music, but any rational human being knows that this is just trying to find a scapegoat for something else. Moore raises the point that in the US, the media is so extremely focused on crime, that people will grow frightened, even if there is less and less reason to be afraid, as statistics prove time and time again. Crime keeps dropping, yet the saturation of the media in covering anything crime related gives people the idea that every city is a warzone and every walk could potentially be your last. 

Which, of course, is absolute bull.

Probably the best example of this, is the comparison to Canada, where there are a lot more guns per head of the population than in the US, but only a minute fraction of gun-related crimes. But their media isn't as focused on scaring the populace. So there. 

Yes, it's easy to point at the US media, but truth be told: media over here in Europe is on that exact same slippery slope and has been for years. So who knows where it all will lead?

In any case, this is still a great (and relevant) documentary about the insanity that can occur when gun laws are incredibly flimsy and a country has this atmosphere of constant panic and fright. It's no wonder some people go through life on a hairtrigger. See, this one doesn't condemn the people, it condemns the politicians and media that create this atmosphere and this seething hatred, which is absolutely where an immense part of the blame lies. Watch with an open mind.