We live in a frightening age under a corrupt and increasingly incompetent government, so it little wonder that films like Zeitgeist: The Movie are finding success. Many of the issues it addresses do ask some important questions, particularly those concerning the origins of Christianity and the American Government's connection to 9/11. Zeitgeist flies off the rails, however, when it attempts to answer these questions.
There is ample evidence for a historical man named Yeashua (Jesus in Hebrew) leading followers around the time of Emperor Tiberius. The details of his life, however, were subject to manipulation over the years by numerous different scholars. It is thus hard to separate fact from fiction when examining his life. The film is even further off when addressing the U.S. government's alleged link to 9/11. A prime example of this is the film's support of the theory that the pentagon was hit by a missile and not a plane. This theory has been dismissed by most 9/11 conspiracy theorists themselves as being false. Further theories are presented and backed up with anecdotal evidence, but not much else. There is little or no attempt to present alternative viewpoints on these highly controversial matters.
The final third of the film is perhaps the worst. It presents its own take on the Theory of Electronic Conspiracy as if it were hard fact. A small group of bankers, namely the Federal Reserve Bank, are blamed for most of the world's ills since the mid 1910s. This is a particularly dangerous accusation as many such theories have historically been antisemitic in nature, and it is no coincidence that the film uses testimonies from such questionable sources as Rep. Louis McFadden (a noted racist and supporter of Adolf Hitler).
I won't deny the film was skillfully made. It very cleverly avoided any alternative viewpoints and backed up its own demented world view with just enough evidence to be convincing. It is, however, no more real than "Triumph of the Will" or "Birth of a Nation". At least these movies were better made (why in God's name is its IMDb rating so high?!!)...
There is ample evidence for a historical man named Yeashua (Jesus in Hebrew) leading followers around the time of Emperor Tiberius. The details of his life, however, were subject to manipulation over the years by numerous different scholars. It is thus hard to separate fact from fiction when examining his life. The film is even further off when addressing the U.S. government's alleged link to 9/11. A prime example of this is the film's support of the theory that the pentagon was hit by a missile and not a plane. This theory has been dismissed by most 9/11 conspiracy theorists themselves as being false. Further theories are presented and backed up with anecdotal evidence, but not much else. There is little or no attempt to present alternative viewpoints on these highly controversial matters.
The final third of the film is perhaps the worst. It presents its own take on the Theory of Electronic Conspiracy as if it were hard fact. A small group of bankers, namely the Federal Reserve Bank, are blamed for most of the world's ills since the mid 1910s. This is a particularly dangerous accusation as many such theories have historically been antisemitic in nature, and it is no coincidence that the film uses testimonies from such questionable sources as Rep. Louis McFadden (a noted racist and supporter of Adolf Hitler).
I won't deny the film was skillfully made. It very cleverly avoided any alternative viewpoints and backed up its own demented world view with just enough evidence to be convincing. It is, however, no more real than "Triumph of the Will" or "Birth of a Nation". At least these movies were better made (why in God's name is its IMDb rating so high?!!)...
Tell Your Friends