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DC Comics has a rather poor reputation lately. Despite having some great superheroes, the films based on their characters often have sucked. However, one of the best and most worthwhile films based on their comics is WELL worth seeing. «V for Vendetta».
The story is placed in a dystopian future. According to this future, the United States has been torn apart by civil war and disasters. And, the United Kingdom has gone from a constitutional monarchy to a repressive fascist dictatorship. But the government is far more evil than just repressing free speech. It seems that much of the chaos that led to this government was actually created by the man who now is in charge. To create a climate of fear and chaos, the government has created fake terrorists. and used the deaths of 10s of thousands of Brits as an excuse to control the country with an iron fist.
The only hope Britain has is a weird nehilistic superhero, V. V (Hugo Weaving) is determined to bring down the government and give the country back to the people. But how? And what part does Evey (Natalie Portman) play in all this? See the film.
This is a very exciting and intelligent film. It definitely kept my interest. much of it because the whole thing (aside from the near indestructable anti-hero) seemed possible! Well worth seeing and exceptionally well made.
By the way, if you like this film, try the 1960s Italian film «Danger: Diabolik». Both have very, very similar themes and both are wonderful movies.
After hearing so many good things about V for Vendetta, I was expecting more than what I got. I will say, as someone who hasn’t read the book, that it is not a terrible movie, just underwhelming.
Pros: The best thing about V for Vendetta was by far the visuals. The whole film looks fantastic, the camera work and editing are smooth and stylish and the costume and set design are sophisticated. The score/soundtrack was also effective, enhancing the atmosphere when it needed to and had some memorable parts too.
The lighting is brooding and like the score enhance the atmosphere effectively. The idea was also intriguing.
Cons: What didn’t work for me was the plot, things weren’t explained very well or were underdeveloped, it was sluggish and it just had a very shallow feel to it. I didn’t care for the characters either, like the plot they were underdeveloped and and lacked any sort of depth. The script is often stilted, the direction lacked efficiency and despite the cast the acting didn’t work for me either.
Hugo Weaving has moments when he is commanding but his weak dialogue let him down, also the characterisation itself seemed threadbare. Natalie Portman seems wooden here, while great actors like John Hurt are underused or forgettable, in regard to Hurt what was even more disappointing was that he suffered from both these things.
All in all, I just didn’t care for V for Vendetta, despite the stunning visuals, atmospheric music and the interesting concept. 4/10 Bethany Cox
In the near future of an alternate Great Britain, freedom fighter V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressive society. He rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from the creepy policemen.
The general state of affairs is too confused early on. Other than the crazed ramblings of a madman, there isn’t much explaining. It’s all generalities and high minded language. It would help to set aside a small segment to explain this universe a little better at the beginning. They really should have either concentration camps, unending wars, book burnings, or goose stepping. Instead the setting feels like today’s world slightly shifted. It’s not enough. The thing with George Orwell. He created completely new worlds. There’s so much they could have done.
V’s voice is distracting. Speaking thru the mask is problematic. It leaves conversation with him cold and distant. It would be better to cut those scenes down. The pacing gets very slow in the middle. The police is chasing him down, but there’s never a close call. It grinds down as they slowly reveal the history. It’s way too slow, way too late. They should have done this earlier, in a shorter prelude section. This is what the 1st act is for. And if this is such a police state with control of the media, how the heck did that program get on the air in the first place? If Evey’s torture is all V’s doing, how much of the stories we’re shown can be believed? Or are they created to convert Evey?
V for Vendetta is an allegory. It is rather apparent the Wachowski Brothers wanted to make a critique of George W Bush’s post 9/11 USA.
The vehicle they used was Alan Moore’s graphic novel with the setting a futuristic and fascist Britain.
The film that inspired Anonymous. We have a masked anarchist voiced by Hugo Weaving exacting revenge on John Hurt’s High Chancellor whilst trying to save Natalie Portman from the secret police. She later becomes an ally.
V for Vendetta deals with issues relating to a repressive state. Totalitarianism, homophobia, Islamophobia and terrorism. The film with its controversial themes has attracted both criticism and praise, although author of the graphic novel Alan Moore is unhappy with the adaptation.
The acting from the cast is excellent. Portman, Weaving, Rea, Hurt and especially Roger Allam all excel.
It’s a brave and a cutting edge film packed with entertainment values and also thought inspiring. A real must see.
In a near future, a totalitarian state is ruling England. On November, 5th, a man self-calling V (Hugo Weaving) explodes a symbolic monument and starts fighting for freedom using terrorist technique. He also rescues Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) from the claws of the abusive secret police and later she becomes her allied. The man in charge of the investigation, Inspector Eric Finch (Stephen Rea), discloses the truth about his leaders while chasing V.
«V for Vendetta» is in my opinion the best action movie of the year. The story, about a totalitarian state that uses fear and terror to win the elections and dominate the population, inclusive forging terrorist attacks, is much updated. There are many excellent lines in this Orwellian story, but I would like to highlight the following ones: «People should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people»; and «Ideas are bulletproof». The awesome Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s «1812 Overture» fits amazingly perfect to both scenes of explosion. «V for Vendetta» is not only a brilliant tale of revenge as the name suggests, but mostly a magnificent message and hymn of freedom. This is a movie that deserves to be watched many times as a lesson of freedom and citizenship. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): «V de Vingança» («V for Vendetta»)
Evey Hammond is heading out after curfew when the Government’s Finger Men catch her and decide to enact their own form of justice on her. Her only rescue comes in the form of a masked man in a cape. This man then proceeds to show her the destruction of the Old Bailey. The Government spring into action to spin the story, control the people and find the terrorist. The police track Evey from CCTV and head to her work place (the Government controlled television station) to detain her. «V» arrives before them and uses the emergency station to broadcast his own message of unrest, elevating his «terrorist» stance against the Government in a year long war that will culminate on the 5th November one way or the other.
It probably helps to be in the UK to really appreciate what this film does well. I don’t mean that in a snobby way but it is a success of the film that it produces a vision of the UK that is both futuristic but yet recognisable as our current condition. It does this most easily by visually mixing the design of homes and people’s lives with all the trimmings of a totalitarian state but it also does it by making the links to our current political state of control and Government intrusion in the name of «terrorism control» and protection. Although it is only a year old, the film still shows a lot of foresight when viewed with hindsight and in doing so it produces an effectively bleak attack on our current political climate. It is effective mainly because it doesn’t ever feel that far fetched thanks to the details but mainly thanks to the overriding themes of fear and control being used by a Government.
The surprise and joy of finding this level of social commentary in a what appeared to be a Hollywood action movie helped cover up some of the weaknesses. Some viewers have complained about the lack of action in the film; personally I do not see this as a weakness because this is more to do with how the film was sold rather than how it was made. The weaknesses are minor and include the asks the plot makes in regards the ability of V to do what he does and how far-fetched some of it is etc but, like I said, these are covered by how relevant and interesting I found the story. The cast are mostly good. It took me a good twenty minutes to accept Portman’s accent but after that she won me over. She is very much in the shadow of Weaving, who shows what a great voice he has by producing a wonderful character without a glimpse of his face throughout. Rea is a bit dour but he does convince as a worn-down public servant faced with the truth about his masters. Fry wasn’t that good but does what he had to do in a small role. Hurt and Pigott-Smith are both very good; Hurt particularly convinced as the sort of person who rises to power and delivered convincing lines in a convincing manner it is telling he has little screen time but a large impact. McTeigue direction was surprisingly good and he delivered the whole affair with a real downbeat air while I’m sure some pressure must have been on him to deliver a big budget action movie for the summer season. He is well supported by the designers behind the visuals.
Those seeking action to compare with the Matrix (or even action) will feel let down and I can understand why the trailers have talked up this side and talked down the social commentary side (and this is a damning verdict of how public tastes are viewed from Hollywood) but credit to the makers for producing a film that surprised me by how relevant it was. Over the coming years this will either become a thing of its time or more relevant than ever (I hope the former) but right now it is an effective story, told with the unreal air of graphic novel but with enough to link it to the present to keep it relevant. I was genuinely surprised by how good it was and how engaged I was by it.
If you want to know who plays the man behind the mask, just look through the cast listed here. What I mean, are the ideals behind the man/mask. Because this movie has «balls». It does not shy away from a critical theme (which is terrorism) and does not pull any punches either.
It’s bold and it might leave you with a bad taste in your mouth or at least might make you reconsider a few things, you thought were right or wrong, before you watched this movie. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, you might not understand what I’ve written, but you will after you watch it!
I even wanted to rate this movie higher, but there is one part in the movie, that I didn’t like at all and it just didn’t feel right (I can’t go further into that, without spoiling, I’m just going to say that, this happens, before one of our main characters «changes» her hair style), but being as it is, if you like the sort of films I described above, go watch this one too!
Is terrorism enacted against a terrorist government acceptable? That is the central haunting question presented in «V For Vendetta», a stylish thriller nominally adapted from the comic book of the same name. That the film comes out now is not surprising, what is though is that the source material was originally published in 1988/89, pre-dating by a decade a global world in which terrorism has become a household word.
Comparisons drawn to Nazi Germany are probably apt, as the film’s reining government and it’s leader Sutler (John Hurt) have succeeded in convincing the masses what to sleep, eat and think. The revelation of Sutler’s inhuman plot to save his country’s citizens from a self induced plague that killed eighty thousand people seems utterly unbelievable, yet a real life Hitler found it prudent to kill nearly eight times as many to insure racial hegemony. It’s interesting to note that the level of V’s violence was tempered to each victim’s own arrogance and complicity. Dr. Surridge (Sinead Cusack) as an example was already dead before she even knew it, dispassionate in the knowledge of her guilt and almost welcoming it.
In a field of outstanding portrayals, Natalie Portman excels as the tormented accomplice Evey Hammond. Her performance arcs over an entire spectrum of characterizations and emotions, and not once did I feel her reactions were forced or unnatural. She grows Evey from an ambivalent, unthinking member of the hive to a leader, with more courage and determination than allowing herself credit for. It will be interesting to see if she’s given credit for her performance a year from now in the next Academy Award go round.
The film prompts me to seek out the trade paperback of the original story as scripted by Alan Moore in a ten issue run. My curiosity is also piqued as to Moore’s public disavowal of the movie, for that I’ll have to learn more. Also while still on the subject, the movie’s opening credits Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics, which was not involved in the original publication.
With a movie of such complexity, another viewing is probably a worthwhile endeavor to pick up the threads that might have been overlooked the first time around. However if all you’re interested in is an action movie, this is one you probably want to stay away from. Action it has, but it’s the subtext and message that should be grabbing you, not the wizardry of flashing weapons.
In the future, England is controlled by a fascist, 1984-esque government. One man, who calls himself V, has taken on the guise of Guy Fawkes and has made it his personal mission to destroy Parliament and get England to rise up. He befriends Evey (Natalie Portman), who sometimes sees his side and sometimes doesn’t.
I’ve given out a handful of 10s. I think out of the nearly 500 reviews I’ve done, I’ve given out maybe 7 or 8 of them. I’m not quick to throw a 10 on something because of some whim, you really have to earn it. This film earns it in spades.
Natalie Portman is the perfect actress: obviously beautiful, but also a real actress. Some of the other casting considerations (such as Scarlett Johannsen) I just don’t have as much confidence in. And Hugo Weaving, although never seen on the screen (at least not his face), made a great V. It makes me sad that Alan Moore decided to preemptively disown this film, because unlike «League of Extraordinary Gentleman», this is a winner. (And I liked «From Hell», even if Moore didn’t.) I’m a little partial to this film. I love the musical themes, the alliteration. I love the anti-government, pro-populace message. I do own the graphic novel. But underneath all that, this film offers it all.
There’s romance (and I mean actual romance, not just people screwing around on a gaming table). There’s action, fighting and explosions. There’s intense drama (I cried a few times, especially during the prison sequences). I suppose the humor might be lacking, but I hadn’t really noticed because everything else is done in just the right amounts.
If you like Portman, like good dramas and action films, and are willing to suspend your disbelief for two hours (there are some things that might be just a small stretch of impossibility) this is a must-see. Already firmly planted on the Internet Movie Database’s Top 250, I have no doubt it will stay there for a great many years.
When «V for Vendetta» came out, maybe reviews called it the first pro-terrorist movie of the post-9/11 world. And seeing what kind of society the movie portrays, it’s hard not to sympathize with the terrorist (or is he a freedom fighter?).
The movie portrays an arch-totalitarian England sometime in the future. Because of the wars waged by the United States, the whole world exploded into war, the US got reduced to a third world country, and the fascistic Adam Sutler (John Hurt) seized power in England. Imposing devout Christianity on everyone, he rules with the slogan «England prevails!».
However, Sutler’s days just might be numbered. A masked man known only as V (Hugo Weaving) seeks to overthrow this dictator on November 5, to commemorate Guy Fawkes trying to blow up parliament. V had gotten disfigured some years earlier from an explosion in a chemical plant where he was a test subject, and thus wears this mask.
One night, V rescues young Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) from Sutler’s thugs, and slowly but surely draws her into his world of rebellion. As it is, Evey has a reason to go along with V: her parents were political activists murdered by Sutler’s forces. So what will this all come down to? I must say that this movie really draws you in. While uneasy about supporting terrorist activity, one realizes that there’s no alternative. Naturally, that brings up the issue of the current state of the world. Is Sutler Bush, we may ask. (No, Sutler actually has a brain.) I think that my favorite line in the movie is «We report the news, not fabricate it. That’s the government’s job.» All in all, this gives movies based on graphic novels a really good name. I wholeheartedly recommend this movie. Also starring Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry and Tim Pigott-Smith.
Like most dystopias this is set a little while into the future and takes the worst excesses of today to a totalitarian extreme. Here Britain is governed by High Chancellor Sutler, played by the excellent John Hurt. We learn that he came to power after a terrorist outrage that left tens of thousands of people dead. Once elected he had set about building a police state where undesirables were eliminated.
The main character of the film is Evey (Natalie Portman with a slightly dodgy accent), a girl who is rescued from the police by a masked man known only as V, played by Hugo Weaving who performs well in a role where we never see his face as it is always covered by hid Guy Falkes mask.
Shortly after rescuing her he takes her to a rooftop to watch as he detonates explosives that he has planted under the Old Bailey. He then announces that that in one years time, on the fifth of November he will blow up the now disused Houses of Parliament. He also sets about killing a group of people who have wronged him in the past. Inspector Finch, an honest policeman played well by Stephen Rea is tasked with bringing V to justice. The more he learns about V’s victims and their connection to the government the more disturbed be becomes.
Many viewers seem to consider this a left wing film that is attacking right wing values by taking them to an extreme; I never thought that though, to me it is a film about the evil of tyranny which would have worked in exactly the same way had the government been Stalinist.
The acting is good throughout, the secondary characters were also impressive, especially Stephen Fry who played a television presenter who sheltered Evey at one point, in many ways his character is the non-violent equivalent of V, they even cook the same thing for breakfast.
Based on the Alan Moore/David Lloyd strip of the same name (which first appeared in top British 80s comic, Warrior), V for Vendetta is a thoroughly entertaining adaptation which will most likely appeal to fans of the source material, but may leave others expecting summer blockbuster style action a little bemused.
V (Hugo Weaving, who remains masked throughout the entire film), is a freedom fighter in the near future determined to bring down the bully boy fascist government that is controlling England with fear and hate. Dressed in a Guy Fawkes costume, he plots against the state (led by John Hurt’s nasty Chancellor Adam Sutler) and the people responsible for both his mistreatment and the death of thousands.
Although the film is not 100% faithful to the minutiae of the comic strip, the movie’s writers (The Wachowski Brothers) have wisely not strayed too far from Moore’s basic vision, delivering a script that retains the core ideas (the importance of freedom and individuality) yet still has time for a little wham-bam action.
Whilst the movie is not a complete success (it’s a tad too long and drags in a few places), this big-budget adaptation of the relatively unknown (to the general public, at least) V for Vendetta is a brave move and everyone involved should be applauded. Although I fear that the appeal of the movie will basically be limited to fan-boys, I do hope that others seek this one outthey might be surprised by how good it actually is.
It is the somewhat near future, the USA has virtually destroyed itself in civil wars, and England has come to be ruled by a political machine that is closer to being a dictatorship. But there is one man who has survived some of the past atrocities and is determined to set things right again, his own way. He simply goes by ‘V’ and his is a grand Vendetta. Whether a viewer likes this movie depends on what they are looking for. My wife didn’t care that much for it, but I really enjoyed it. It isn’t as stylized as, for example, ‘Sin City’, but to me has more of a ‘Batman’ feel to it. You know that what you are seeing is not to be taken literally, and much of it is social commentary on the dangers of government taking over the ‘freedoms’ of the citizens.
Natalie Portman is into her mid 20s now and a serious young actress. This is a good role for her, as Evey Hammond whose mother and father both fell victim to the government. She meets ‘V’ (Hugo Weaving, Neo’s nemesis in the Matrix) near the beginning of the movie, on November 5th, as they listen to a concert of sorts, while they view the Old Bailey being blown up, all orchestrated by ‘V’. The movie ends one year later, on November 5th. I like the mask that ‘V’ wears, reminiscent of Jack Nicholson’s ‘Joker’ face, but this mask never comes off, and appears to be bullet proof.
The cast contains a whole host of fine British actors, including Stephen Rea as Inspector Eric Finch, Stephen Fry as Gordon Deitrich, John Hurt as the evil Chancellor Adam Sutler, and Sinéad Cusack as Delia Surridge. The movie contains much violence, much bloodshed, and has some very dark themes. But it is worth a viewing.
I admit, I’ll have to see V for Vendetta again to fully grasp some things about it- chiefly things in the story and dialog (that and I had a rather faulty screening of the film at the theater). But to say that I haven’t been this excited about a film brought by Andy and Larry Wachowski, the Matrix creators, since their 1999 ground-breaker, is saying a lot. Some may not like the film, or may not ‘get’ it, as it does go for a lot of dialog and character development over useless explosions and violence (of course there’s some in the film, but no in over-abundance). But it is, like the first Matrix, quite challenging in the futuristic story kind of way, taking more from Orwell this time at a look of totalitarian society and the humanism that lies beneath terror and fear through dominance. That it is also a well made and well acted film is much to its credit.
And while the film is credited as its director to James McTiegue, who was AD on the Matrix trilogy, one can see the Wachowski’s (possibly akin to the V character) pulling the strings throughout in their script and co-producer credits. They take from a graphic novel and churn out something rather epic, and complex. V (Hugo Weaving, in maybe his greatest performance without a ‘real’ face) has set the date November the 5th as a kind of judgment day, as one year from that date he will return to change the course of history. But in this year’s time Evie (Natalie Portman) gets in the cross-hairs, and becomes involved in his vengeance against the government that did this «monstrosity» to him. Through this there is an investigation by an officer (Stephen Rea), some good deal of back-story through flashbacks involving a tragic character who’s life is scribed on a roll of toilet paper, and the whole story of how this totalitarian society in England came to be.
It’s through this story, of which even I can’t say that much more, that the Wachowski’s deliver some action, however more food for thought than some might come in thinking it will be. For those expecting the non-stop action that went with the first Matrix you might be disappointed. But if you come in with an open mind, like with the Matrix sequels, it won’t spell what came for many as disappointment. The talk in those films, which became muddled through the action at times, isn’t so here. And through the cast of actors, who are all very, very good (particularly Portman, Weaving, Rea, and of course John Hurt as the high chancellor), there are some individual scenes that are just great, and entertaining, and involving dramatically in ways the filmmakers didn’t quite get on their previous efforts. One favorite for me was the fake TV show with the two John Hurt characters in a comedy kind of scene. And the whole sequence with Evie in the ‘prison’ is surprisingly moving. If I could make criticism of the film upon a first viewing, yes, it is sometimes a bit ‘talky’, and the direction is not as astonishing as with the ones squarely helmed by the brothers.
But for any of the small flaws seen on a first viewing, I can say that they weren’t enough to deter me from recommending it, enough even to say that it SHOULD be seen twice, even if there isn’t much confusion on what the story or characters are. One thing’s for sure, you’re likely to see very few other science fiction dramas this original this year, if at all, and least of which challenge the viewer’s expectations and intelligence like this does. And great song over the end credits, by the way.
2018 and England is in the midst of a dictatorship by a crackpot who has brought death to 100,000 people by unleashing a virus and then blaming a dissident group for doing this.
Natalie Portman, a gifted actress, stars in this mess. The film has a good premise with a totalitarian regime in England while the U.S. is having a civil war. It soon falls apart as the bodies begin to pile up. The man with the mask begins to bring revenge on all those who concocted the virus.
The film is even a little bit silly and the ending is totally ridiculous.
There is one good performance and that is by John Hurt as the lunatic ruler. Stephen Rea, who was so good in «The Crying Game,» plays a police officer who is trying to capture the terrorist with the mask.
Portman looks like she has boozed, drugged and been through the mill. Unwittingly, she becomes an accessory to the masked man. When she denounces him, he imprisons her and then releases her. Along the way, we find out that her young brother was a victim of the virus and her parents were executed for their anti-government activities.
Stop with the nonsense. Too much of the film is all so predictable. I upped the rating to **1/2 because of the premise of the film, but that’s about it.
This film tells the story of a fictional future Britain, where a tyrannical government feeds lies to people and control people through fear. A masked man with special skills is determined to bring people together to overthrow the government.
«V for Vendetta» exceeds my expectations! It is not just a cool comic book adaptation, but a film that draws parallels to real life political situations in some parts of the world. V has almost superpowers, yet he keeps a low profile in his cave, and is polite and modest. It is remarkable how he can bring people together and change something that seems unchangeable. I like the fact that V’s identity and origins remain a puzzle, as it enhances suspense and thrill.
Who is the man with the burned and scared face behind the mask? Is he a hero or anti-hero? The regime that dominates and runs his nation heavy handedly needs to be brought down. The totalitarian society fears they will never live freely again. Subversive or liberator. the shadowy caped figure is known as V(Hugo Weaving) and he is seeking revenge on those responsible for his disfigurement. He has picked the date 5th of November for a freedom setting revolution. The powers that be have one year to give in to V’s demands or the revolution will be animated. After V rescues an everyday woman(Natalie Portman), the secret police led by Inspector Finch(Stephen Rea)think they have captured the freedom fighter. The finale is astounding and very explosive.
Also starring are: John Hurt, Stephen Fry, John Standing, Natasha Wightman and Rupert Graves. By the way, Portman is mighty fetching in her relationship with V. James McTeigue directs this comic book-becoming-a-movie.
Sometimes the world throws a snowball so perfectly it both amazes and depresses me.
Imagine a story of an extreme threat, delivered through the visual media, with all sorts of personal triumphs woven into it. Suppose you gather groups of people by the millions to overtly support your enterprise, wrapped in gloss and foreshadowing. Suppose you decide to make it humorless and obvious; and to make it whole and logical not because it is those things but because your confidence makes its seem so.
Well, you’d have what this film has built itself against. But you’d also have what this film is.
Will we never learn? Do the brothers suppose they aren’t paving the way for simplistic munchkin politics? If you want a subversive film, go to Greenaway.
Yet, I can admire how this thing is put together. It is highly cinematic visually even though most of the thing is talking. But even that is tricky because the talker is behind a mask, so we largely invent the images in our own minds, prompted from time to time with inserted visions.
The first half is the Count of Agatha Cristie, where we are presented with an old fashioned detective story except presented from the criminal’s perspective. Serial killings are ticked off and we want to know why. Though we follow the killer, our inquiries are handled by the on screen detective.
This is followed by an «Oldboy» segment, a radical shift, perhaps equally well done. And then we shift into «Irreversible» mode as we slide into the sappy movieland happy ending. Fireworks.
Along the way, we are pounded with self-reference to video media: our heroine and her pal work in TeeVee. The central Valerie character is a filmmaker who incidentally creates the film we are watching indirectly by writing it on toilet paper and passing it as if behind a mask.
Our hero is motivated by a certain old movie. Until the very end, we only see our political nemesis on a huge video screen, as his millions of victims do.
This IS worth watching, but only for the way it is constructed. Generate your political philosophies the old fashioned way, okay?
Author of the Graphic Novel, Alan Moore, decided to Remove His Name from all Hollywood Movies after some initial Bad Experiences with His Work being Made into Films. So His Decision concerning this Particular Film is Not singular or Specific to the Movie, it is a blanket Distancing from the Medium.
This is a Divisive, Thought Provoking, Controversial Film and is equally Embraced and Eviscerated by Politicos on both the Left and the Right. It’s use of Vigilantism and Terrorism against the State has Raised Eyebrows High, but seeing that it is Set in the Future and a Fascist Regime is ruling with an Iron Hand, the «Revolution» is Reasonable.
The Politics here are Not Subtle and Never are the Bad Guys in Question. V is a Vigilante created by Monsters and EV (Natalie Portman) thinks at first He has become a Monster. But as things Unfold there is No Doubt where Things Stand, and what Has to be Done.
Folks looking for an Action, Comic Book, or Superhero Movie might be Disappointed. This is a Dark and Stylish Thriller with Noir sensibilities and a Desperate Disposition.
Hugo Weaving as V, gives a Difficult Voice and Body language Performance that is Remarkable. The supporting Cast also adds Gravitas to the Unsettling proceedings and the Film becomes a Surreal situation Not Far removed from the Present Day in some respects.
The Pacing seems a Bit Off now and then and the intertwining of Plot Elements isn’t the Smoothest, but Overall it is a Great and Topical Treatise on the Signs of the Time with Classic References and Romantic Ruminations of Idealism and the Fight Against Evil.
V for Vendetta is set in a future Britian where the country is now under the strict dictatorship of High Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt), the date is November the 5th as TV production assistant Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) breaks a late night curfew & is attacked by two of Sutler’s secret police force the Fingermen but is saved by a man wearing a Guy Fawkes mask who calls himself V (Hugo Weaving). V takes Evey to witness the blowing up of the Old Bailey for which he is responsible, the following day at the British Television Network studios V breaks in & broadcasts a message to Britian claiming he is a modern day freedom fighter who has taken the guise of Guy Fawkes & like Fawkes will try to bring the oppressive Government down. Sutler’s security forces try to find V while he sets out on a personal revenge mission.
This American, British & German co-production was the directorial debut of James McTeigue & I must admit that I am amazed that V for Vendetta is in the IMDb user voted Top 250 films (well within the top 200 as well) but at the same time pleasantly surprised because I thought V for Vendetta was a terrific film that has so much going for it. Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore (who has said he didn’t like the film) & David Lloyd (who has said he did like the film) I didn’t expect such a great film, while the original graphic novel was about V on a quest to create anarchy rather than freedom from an oppressive Government I think the film works extremely well & a lot f it seemed very relevant & topical. Lets be honest, V for Vendetta has a dig at the likes of George Bush & Tony Blair as it presents Britian in the near future as a society run by a dictator & a corrupt Government who have twisted the war on terrorism, the need for security & the fears ordinary people have to take away people civil liberties & freedom just like we are heading towards right now if truth be told. I could also relate to the way Sutler uses & manipulates the media, it’s all quite close to home & familiar actually. At over two hours I was never bored by a largely talky film, it held my interest from stat to finish with some great writing, some touching writing, some humorous writing, some exciting writing & some satirical writing. The character’s are all strong & there’s one great twist about half way through I didn’t see coming that was genuine surprise that at first seemed a bit odd but then after thinking about it seemed totally logical.
Based on a comic book there’s a great visual style to the film, from the cool fighting & action scenes to some surprisingly touching scenes sensitively shot. I loved the idea of using Guy Fawkes, I am not sure if he is that well known outside of the UK but here the 5th of November is celebrated every year & Fawkes story is know to all. The idea of using the morals & image of Fawkes & the ideas behind the image is a great one that works perfectly (but I guess you would have to know of Fawkes for it to). The special effects are impressive with a cool shot of the House of Parliment being blown up at the end. There is some blood & violence but overall there’s more talk although when the action does arrive it’s cool. I also loved the dominoes bit, sure it’s pointless but it looks great & since it took over 200 hours to set up in reality a lot of time went into creating it.
V for Vendetta is a marvellous film, both as an action fantasy with lush visuals & as an extreme look at where society is heading, the ambiguity surrounding the character of V helps too as a sort of masked hero who simply just stands for ideas & values. A new personal favourite of mine, I highly recommend it.