“V for Vendetta”
V, the hero of the futuristic dystopian action film “V for Vendetta,” now available on DVD, is a terrorist. Let’s absorb that fact. The hero of a big budget Hollywood action film, the first post-Matrix offering from the Wachowski brothers (who here wrote, produced, and supposedly pulled the strings behind director James MCteigue who was their assistant director for the Matrix films), is a terrorist. Set in the future in a totalitarian Great Britain, our hero terrorist V wears a Guy Fawkes mask and plans to overthrow the government by doing what Fawkes failed to all the way back in 1605-blow up Parliament on November the fifth. He proclaims this on television after first exploding a smaller, less symbolically important building, in the process inexorably crossing his path with Evey (Natalie Portman). Evey, a seemingly normal young woman not only happens to work at the state television station that V commandeers to announce his plan to blow parliament, but was saved the night before by V when she was about to be raped by finger men (which are, as the name suggests, government snoops). She also will be a good revolutionary partner, as we will later learn all of her family has perished in holocaust style concentration camps used to silence government opponents in the building of the said totalitarian government. Get all that?
It’s not too hard to absorb really, and in fact, most of the movie revolves around the relationship that grows between Evey and V, focusing on their individual pasts, gradually explaining V’s Vendetta, and why Evey really is a good revolutionary partner weaving theses elements in with the back story that led to this dystopian future. But now on to V, for he is the center of the film, the center of the ideas, and the center of the action. As mentioned earlier, he wears a mask. Do not expect him to take off the mask, he will not. He speaks behind it, and after a time, it is a bit troubling to watch. Apparently troubling to act as well as the Matrix’s Hugo Weaving took the reins as V only after the first actor was let go. So we have V, terrorist superhero in a mask intent on overthrowing a truly despicable totalitarian government which took power on the basis of a massive terrorist event (sound familiar?).
In “Vendetta’s” world, the United States is totally anarchic, as is, in fact, the entire world, and Britain is run by the despotic dictator Adam Sutler portrayed ably by John Hurt who rules thru complete control of the press and media, and thru the handy use of secret police, ect., etc. you get the idea. Of course, this ground has been treaded before, but throw in the terrorism of our hero and terrorism as the inciting incident for the totalitarian government and you have something very present minded. In fact, “V for Vendetta” is an adaptation of a graphic novel written in response to the conservative Thatcherite politics of Britain in the 1980’s. At that time and at this you might think that the burning of the Reischtag in Germany served as a reference to the terrorist event that catapulted Sutler’s government to power. Having been adapted post 9/11, the film seems an eerie warning reflecting our own times.
But it’s not all so heavy. Instead, V is a bit of a romantic, both in his philosophy, his grandiose verbiage (lot’s of V’s!), and his hideaway, where he listens to Julie London’s “Cry Me a River” as he falls in love with Evey. Actually, V’s fanciful way of practicing his fencing late into the night while watching “Count of Monte Crisco” is a little cute and in fact amusing. But a lighter side is needed in a film that covers a lot of ideas, and in V an interesting, if unreachable thru the mask character.
But “V for Vendetta” ultimately falls a bit short. It’s a thoughtful entertaining watch that should be respected for it’s ideas and it’s audacity, but the film as directed, shot, edited, and scored lacks the virtuosity to back up it’s potential. Something isn’t their, perhaps it’s a soul in a film whose ideas needs nothing less. Something about the film never establishes the outside world quite well enough. Something about the editing is a little to quick, and something about the score is a little unmemorable. Still an interesting watch, with an intriguing lead, important ideas, and a romantic song.
Story: B+
Though a dystopian future is not totally original, a heroic terrorist, a lead with a mask that stays on, and his wonderful V’s are.
Acting: B
Pretty good all around, nothing extraordinary, but Portman shows she can carry a film as a lead.
Visuals: C+
Often less than striking. Didn’t take the film over the top.
Originality/Innovation: B-
Covered in story, oh, and the fight scenes reek of Matrix light
Enjoyability Grade: B
Overall Grade: B
DVD Extras: C As a DVD, you have to wonder if a special edition is in the works as there is no commentary and only a brief twenty-minute making of that is satisfactory.
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