Cast:Natalie Portman (Evey), Hugo Weaving (V), Stephen Rea (Finch), Stephen Fry (Deitrich), John Hurt (Adam Sutler), Tim Pigott-Smith (Creedy)
Directed by: James McTeigue
Runtime: 132 minutes, Year 2006
The posters for V for Vendetta read "An uncompromising vision of the future from the creators of The Matrix trilogy." Uncompromising? It simply isn't possible to translate Alan Moore's multilayer comic-book masterpiece into a two-hour movie without making cuts that oversimplify, and it's certainly not feasible to expect producer Joel Silver to keep things subtle. Moore, who's notoriously cranky and anti-Hollywood, has insisted his name no longer be used in conjunction with movies made from his work; From Hell (a good movie but an unfaithful adaptation) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (a mess that induced director Stephen Norrington to retire from the business) soured him permanently on such things. In terms of its adherence to the source material, V for Vendetta is a better movie than the others by a long shot. But it's frustratingly flawed in ways that could have been avoided by hewing closer to Moore's � and not the Wachowski brothers' � vision.
Written during the Thatcher years, Moore's version depicted a future Britain that had withdrawn from NATO just in time to escape a nuclear war that wiped out every other country. Following a period of chaos and riots, it becomes a fascist dictatorship under the rule of insecure Adam Susan. The protagonist is Evey Hammond, an orphaned teen prostitute who propositions the wrong man, only to be rescued from mortal peril by a vigilante known only as "V," who wears the mask of Guy Fawkes, an infamous member of a seventeenth-century plot to blow up Parliament.
In adapting for the screen, the Wachowski brothers have updated things a bit, imagining a worst-case scenario for the War on Terror that leads to large-scale biological attacks and an America crippled by civil war, thereby allowing England to become the top superpower and a fascist theocracy. The dictator, who has come to power via some very Revenge of the Sith-style maneuvering, is here named Adam Sutler and is ironically not at all subtler than his pen-and-ink prototype, but a barking maniac played by John Hurt. Evey Hammond is now played by twentysomething Natalie Portman (whose English accent has come a long way since her Queen Amidala days) and works as an assistant at a major TV network. V remains the same, perfectly embodied by Hugo Weaving.
The philosophical underpinnings of the original story were like Fight Club before Chuck Palahniuk's book existed � a charismatic anarchist takes on a repressive system but seems blind to the notion that his own philosophies, if followed to their logical extreme, would merely replace one type of devastating conformity with another. (The Wachowskis emphasize this in their new ending, with mixed results.) Meanwhile a series of power plays within the government itself makes V's job even easier. V is charismatic and the closest thing to a traditional "superhero" in sight, but he's also a terrorist and an anarchist, a man driven mad by a twisted past that he channels into a vendetta.
We're meant to question our sympathies for him and to see the human frailties in the ostensibly all-powerful government thugs. But big-studio movies tend to require heroes and villains, so things have been simplified for the screen. Gone is any hint of depth among the fascists, save for police inspector Finch (Stephen Rea), whose favorable qualities are played up � alas, we do not get to see him drop acid at a ruined concentration camp, and a crucial romantic relationship for him has been dropped, which robs a key scene of resonance. V's vengeance, too, is a lot more rote, and some imaginative set pieces from the book have been replaced by more mundane poisonings.
Also in the book, V was a surrogate father for Evey; here he has become a surrogate boyfriend. Meanwhile Evey's actual love interest has been eliminated, his narrative function fulfilled instead by a gay TV host played by Stephen Fry. His presence may be welcome comic relief for some, but tonally he doesn't fit, and there's a silly bit of business with him owning a contraband Koran because he likes its poetic imagery. (Has he read what it says about homosexuality?)
But now the good news: The heart of Moore's work is a sequence in which Evey is captured, tortured, and has her head shaved, finding strength only when she reads a touching story written on toilet paper in the adjacent cell. This sequence has been perfectly preserved, and it's the big beating heart of the movie. Because it's Natalie Portman, she still manages to look beautiful despite what she's been through, but her performance is note-perfect and the sequence as moving as it ought to be.
To many, V for Vendetta will seem radical in its politics, but it would be a mistake to consider it a specific critique of Bush or Blair. (Although Sutler's chief propagandist has a Pat Robertson-esque bit about godlessness, the dictator is more Saddam than George W.) From a fan's perspective, though, one might wish for a smaller budget and a truly uncompromising vision.
It is the year 2020. A virus runs wild in the world, most Americans are dead, and Britain is ruled by a fascist dictator who promises security but not freedom. One man stands against him, the man named V, who moves through London like a wraith despite the desperate efforts of the police. He wears a mask showing the face of Guy Fawkes, who in 1605 tried to blow up the houses of Parliament. On Nov. 5, the eve of Guy Fawkes Day, British schoolchildren for centuries have started bonfires to burn Fawkes in effigy. On this eve in 2020, V saves a young TV reporter named Evey from rape at the hands of the police, forces her to join him, and makes a busy night of it by blowing up the Old Bailey courtrooms.
"V for Vendetta" will follow his exploits for the next 12 months, until the night when he has vowed to strike a crushing blow against the dictatorship. We see a police state that hold citizens in an iron grip and yet is humiliated by a single man who seems impervious. The state tries to suppress knowledge of his deeds -- to spin a plausible explanation for the destruction of the Old Bailey, for example. But V commandeers the national television network to claim authorship of his deed.
This story was first told as a graphic novel written by Alan Moore and published in 1982 and 1983. Its hero plays altogether differently now, and yet, given the nature of the regime. is he a terrorist or a freedom fighter? Britain is ruled by a man named Sutler, who gives orders to his underlings from a wall-sized TV screen and seems the personification of Big Brother. And is: Sutler is played by John Hurt, who in fact played Winston Smith in �Nineteen Eighty-Four� (1984). (V seems more like Jack the Ripper, given his ability to move boldly in and out of areas the police think they control. The similarity may have come easily to Moore, whose graphic novel �From Hell� was about the Ripper, and inspired a good 2001 movie by the Hughes brothers.
"V for Vendetta" has been written and co-produced by the Wachowski brothers, Andy and Larry, whose "Matrix" movies also were about rebels holding out against a planetary system of control. This movie is more literary and less dominated by special effects (although there are plenty), and is filled with ideas that are all the more intriguing because we can't pin down the message. Is this movie a parable about 2006, a cautionary tale or a pure fantasy? It can be read many ways, as I will no doubt learn in endless e-mails.
The character of V and his relationship with Evey (Natalie Portman) inescapably reminds us of the Phantom of the Opera. V and the Phantom are both masked, move through subterranean spaces, control others through the leverage of their imaginations and have a score to settle. One difference, and it is an important one, is that V's facial disguise does not move (unlike, say, the faces of a Batman villain) but is a mask that always has the same smiling expression. Behind it is the actor Hugo Weaving, using his voice and body language to create a character, but I was reminded of my problem with Thomas the Tank Engine: If something talks, its lips should move.
Still, Portman�s Evey has expressions enough for most purposes, as she morphs from a dutiful citizen to V�s sympathizer, and the film is populated with a gallery of gifted character actors. In addition to Hurt as the sinister dictator, we see Stephen Rea and Rupert Graves as the police assigned to lead the search for V. Tim Pigott-Smith is an instrument of the dictator. These people exist in scenes designed to portray them as secure, until V sweeps in like a whirlwind, using martial arts, ingenious weapons and the element of surprise. Why the mask does not limit his peripheral vision is a question I will leave for the experts.
There are ideas in this film. The most pointed is V�s belief: �People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.� I am not sure V has it right; surely in the ideal state governments and their people should exist happily together. Fear in either direction must lead to violence. But V has a totalitarian state to overthrow, and only a year to do it in, and we watch as he improvises a revolution. He gets little support, although Stephen Fry plays a dissident TV host who criticizes the government at his peril.
With most action thrillers based on graphic novels, we simply watch the sound and light show. "V for Vendetta," directed by James McTeigue, almost always has something going on that is actually interesting, inviting us to decode the character and plot and apply the message where we will. There are times when you think the soundtrack should be supplying "Anarchy in the UK" by the Sex Pistols. The movie ends with a violent act that left me, as a lover of London, intensely unhappy; surely V's enemy is human, not architectural.
The film has been disowned by Alan Moore, who also removed his name from the movie versions of his graphic novels From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but then any sane person would have been unhappy with the Gentlemen. His complaint was not so much with the films as with the deal involving the use of his work. I have not read the original work, do not know what has been changed or gone missing, but found an audacious confusion of ideas in "V for Vendetta" and enjoyed their manic disorganization. To attempt a parable about terrorism and totalitarianism that would be relevant and readable might be impossible, could be dangerous and would probably not be box office.
A man in a mask. A smiling face, in black and white, with a blush. And, behind it, a man ravaged by a corrupt political system he can't forget or forgive. If not for what it did to partially destroy him, then for what the prevailing dictatorship is doing to the people in a totalitarian Britain of the future. Vengeance is his need and what he lives for--a powerful waking up of a society that accepts Adam Sutler, a raging Hitlerian tyrant (John Hurt) and his ruling elite as though there's a coolaid of compliance running in the water system and blinding them to their own deprivations.
But the clarity of V's plans are disturbed one night when a young working class woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) dares to tread a narrow alley at night and is waylayed by some bully miscreants with badges. Fortunately for her, V (Hugo Weaving) happens by. Unfortunately for him, he falls in love with her. A love that can't be requited nor physically satisfied. It's an emotion he didn't think he was capable of since he walked out of a fire of destruction. What he feels for the girl alters the formula of his designs to seek retribution as a commemoration of Guy Fawkes who, on a day in 1605 was caught trying to engineer a rebellion with 36 barrels of gunpowder under the parliament building. He was strung up for treason.
Now, on the anniversary of the event he takes his rescued damsel home, to a lair that's suitable for such a savior who's been laying wait. It's no batcave, but lack of taste and funding is no issue for this hermit. There's no threat of molestation, either, though he impresses the girl with his powers early on, like a suitor --if an unwilling one-- might. From a commanding post atop a building, V orchestrates the blowup of the Old Bailey, an architectural landmark that has come to symbolize the evil behind the current laws. To the accompaniment of Nationalistic music on city speakers and bursting fireworks, he declares his threat to the evils of the Sutler's regime and promises a conclusive end to Sutler's represion.
Evey is very impressed with the theatre of V's display, as are we. The reactionary leader and his government are put on notice that a demon is afoot who threatens their rule. They are enraged, Sutler brands him a terrorist, though clearly that's not what he is. It's only the officials and their army that need fear his wrath. In the harsh cadence of a madman that's clearly modeled on the leader of the Reich, Sutler puts his chiefs to work, including chief investigator Finch (Stephen Rea) whose even-handed humanity will be touched by what his discoveries lead to.
As Evey's eyes are opened on what she and the society have come to consider the norm, and as she becomes aware of the issues and complexities involved with V's vendetta, she becomes a much more involved ally and partner in his enterprise that he anticipated.
V's efforts to complete the revolution that James Fawkes tried to start inspire visual effects, action, atmospheric adventure and the delineation of a society's susceptibility to the diffusion of evil control and is derived with panache and cinematic capability from the imagery of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's graphic novel (of the same title) that appeared under the Vertigo/DC banner in 26 monthly installments starting in 1981. Another cult was born then, to be revived by this, the product of the Wachowski Brothers' first script since their "Matrix" trilogy and sharp, if overextended, direction by James McTeigue.
With elements of Batman, "The Phantom of the Opera," George Orwell ("1984"), Jackie Chan-style martial arts, World War II fascism and its screechingly intense leader, and the wide genre of the comics Superhero, "V For Vendetta" is well timed to avoid competition with others containing boxoffice-commanding sensory assaults. "X-Men: The Last Stand," for example, is cooling its heels awaiting a late summer release.
But its success will come largely from its own good elements: a fetching Natalie Portman, a flawed-hero mystery figure who stands for righteousness, and an arch villain powerfully realized by a seething John Hurt... it makes for a fierce rival to any comparable fan followship.
Exploitation can be fun.
This is a bold movie. Boldly directed, boldly chosen subject matter, boldly released and boldly created. Undoubtedly, reviewers will talk about the possible political implications of this film on current world events, so I won�t. Instead, I�d like to compliment the film as a strong cinematic experience. And remind viewers that it is based on a story (graphic novel) written some 2 decades ago. Though I had read that graphic novel at that time (and enjoyed it), I will not judge the film with respect to it (mostly because my memory isn�t that good).
Wow. What direction! The script is good � very good. And the story strong. But the direction is paramount. All the actors give good performances, but the vigilant marching pace, the careful tone and mood, that strong wonderful climax -- this is great direction. I see hundreds of films in a year and only a very few are able to execute such disciplined pace, controlled build and ultimately fire a climax with impact and emotional culmination. James McTeigue succeeds gloriously.
Art direction, editing, cinematography are all solid. And while Portman does a fine job, it�s really Stephen Rea�s quiet strong performance as Chief Inspector Finch that stands out as yet another driving force in this commanding film. Kudos to him.
Improvements? Sure. While the general public is given screen time � I could have used more. I would have liked to see a bar room debate or some teacher�s lounge discussion regarding the politics of the day. I wanted to watch John Q. Public change his mind. Also, the scene with Portman and Rea could have been developed just a little more � some juice was still there waiting to be brought out. Lastly, not crazy about the �L� word popping out with such Hollywood fashion.
Overall, V is a Very powerful film. I enjoyed it.
The Brits have an odd celebration on the fifth of November called Guy Fawkes Night (alternatively known as Bonfire Night), which commemorates the so-called Gunpowder Plot in 1605, a failed attempt to blow up Parliament and assassinate King James I. Fawkes and his co-conspirators were thwarted, executed for treason and attempted murder, but his legacy lives on through what some describe as the British equivalent to Independence Day in America.
For most, Guy Fawkes Night is an excuse for fireworks, serving as a testament to the defeat of terrorism. Others, however, feel it celebrates terrorism, and more cynical celebrants view Fawkes as a hero and excuse for doing away with politicians; the public even voted the man into the BBC's 2002 list of the 100 Greatest Britons. Four centuries later, V for Vendetta seems poised to cause a similar stir of mixed reactions�an impressive fireworks display with anti-government sentiments.
The film's story takes place roughly twenty years from now. Britain has transformed from monarchy to a 1984-styled totalitarian regime led by Adam Sutler (John Hurt resembling Hitler). Society is ruled with an iron fist of fear. Art and self-expression are censored. Homosexuals, minorities, and Muslims are shipped off to internment camps. Nightly curfews are enforced by corrupt secret police. Even real butter is saved for the rich and elite.
But the social climate is changed dramatically on November 5, when a mysterious dark avenger wearing a Fawkes mask and going by the codename V (Hugo Weaving) introduces himself to the public through a bombing complete with fireworks and the "1812 Overture." The next day, V appears on a television broadcast, encouraging the people of Britain to rise up against their oppressors by joining him to witness the destruction of Parliament on Guy Fawkes Night the following year. In the months that follow, V begins to knock off various heads of state, while law enforcement�led by detective Finch (Stephen Rea)�attempt to uncover a pattern in the deaths that might lead to the vigilante's identity before the bomb threat is carried out.
Caught in the middle of all this is Evey (Natalie Portman), a young television production assistant rescued by V when police catch her outside past curfew. Turns out that Evey has a shady past of her own, and she soon finds herself a fugitive. After aiding V in turn when he raids her workplace, she's forced to seek refuge in his Shadow Gallery, an underground cultural repository filled with media and artifacts reclaimed from the government censors. Evey finds herself drawn to V's incredible charm, yet also fearful of his dark plans and slightly mad persona, unsure whether to trust his hospitality or to escape and foil his plans.
Alan Moore wrote the original graphic novel in the '80s as a response to Margaret Thatcher conservatism, and in time it has become regarded as a classic. Ten years later, Andy and Larry Wachowski adapted it into a screenplay, only to get sidetracked with The Matrix trilogy before they could film it. Having temporarily satisfied their desire to direct, the Wachowskis handed the reigns to James McTeigue (their assistant director from The Matrix movies), content to oversee V for Vendetta as the film's producers.
It's all still very much from the makers of The Matrix, retaining some of the Wachowskis' famed visual flair while staying true to the spirit of the graphic novel. Moore had his name removed from the project, understandably wary of Hollywood after the poor adaptation of another of his works, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. But Moore should be proud of this one. The Wachowskis have made the story more cohesive by smoothing out some of the details and clarifying some of the more abstract themes, while also punching up the dialogue with more heart and humor. V and Evey share some wonderful exchanges together, and V's alliteration-heavy introduction is a nice touch that instantly reveals him as both appealing and unhinged.
The filmmakers also pull some strong performances from the leads. Portman shows impressive emotional range as always, fully committing herself to a role so clearly outlined in the source material�including the much-publicized onscreen head shaving. Weaving also pulls off a difficult part, forced to act behind a mask for most of the film, yet infusing the part with plenty of charisma through gestures and his melodious voice. And it's great to see Rea back in action, perfectly playing the skeptical, world-weary cop with sad eyes and patient demeanor.
What's most striking about V for Vendetta is how it favors thought-provoking dialogue and ideas over non-stop, sloppy action. For sure, there are some cool sequences, particularly a bloody slow-motion fight between V and a dozen soldiers that recalls the famed lobby scene from The Matrix. But like that film, this movie relies on a lot of explanation and pontification, primarily focused on the mystery of V's past and the nature of true freedom against the backdrop of political repression. Some sequences of dialogue resemble King Arthur's discussion of politics with Dennis in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (i.e., long, dry, and tiresome), but there are also flashes of wit and brilliance. This is a comic book film that is refreshingly intelligent, relying on poetry and literary dialogue for thrills as much villain-busting action.
Sadly, the movie also comes off as misguided. What are we to take from this story? Social injustice and denial of human rights are indeed wrong, but do the creators honestly believe that conservatism is the start of a short path to fascism? Are we really one step away from sending minorities and homosexuals off to death camps? Do they really believe democratic governments would covertly inflict a plague upon schoolchildren to incite fear and provide cause for militia rule? Apparently so, as the Wachowskis have added small references to wire-tapping, avian flu, "rendition," homeland security, and Abu Ghraib-styled black hoods to loosely connect the story to current events.
Especially frustrating are the numerous cheap shots at Christianity, clearly seen as part of the oppressive force. The motto of Sutler's government is, "Strength through unity, unity through faith," its symbol a modified crucifix. Sutler himself is described a man with deep religious convictions who rose to power with the iron fist of fear. At the film's start is a completely unsympathetic, rabid television pundit that's part Bill O'Reilly, part Pat Robertson, viscously blaming society's problems on godlessness and lack of religion. Oh, and then there's the timeworn clich� of the high-ranking official who also happens to be a pedophile priest who likes to play "confession" with little girls.
We might all feel differently if Nazis really did have a stranglehold on our society, but is violent anarchy really the answer�correcting one extreme with another? V for Vendetta seems to be equating "terrorist" with "revolutionary," and despite some small attempts in the script intended to show V as morally ambiguous, the reality is that he's still depicted as the charming and sympathetic hero whose courageous actions we are to embrace at the film's end. It's surprising in this post-9/11 that the film actually tries to win over the audience by standing up for Muslim terrorists, defending the Koran, and instilling the belief that the destruction of an important building can serve as the catalyst for change.
It's unfortunate, because the film has much to admire and enjoy, but what could have been a meaningful parable about individual freedoms comes off as heavy-handed politicizing that doesn't quite add up. Though the film will earn its fans, many will go in expecting to be entertained by action, only to leave feeling vilified by thin propaganda. V for Vendetta may not exactly deliver what it advertises, but it does stay true to its title.
V for Vendetta represents 2006's first memorable motion picture - a visually sumptuous concoction that combines political allegory, bloody action, and a few stunning cinematic moments into a solid piece of entertainment. While it's true that the film at times overreaches and its connection to its graphic novel inspiration is tenuous, V for Vendetta mostly succeeds playing in the same sci-fi thriller arena as Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet. First-time director James McTeigue is relentless when it comes to pacing, rarely letting things flag for extended scenes of flabby explosion. And if there are times when V for Vendetta is overwrought and chaotic, those lapses are easily forgotten in the midst of the rousing nature of the experience.
It's 2020 London, and the world is in turmoil. Across the ocean, the United States has collapsed into civil war caused by plague, poverty, and civil unrest. Things are calmer in England, due to the totalitarian reign of fascist dictator Adam Sutler (John Hurt), whose bedtime reading is likely to be Mein Kampf. Terror roams the streets at night, not only in the form of the Chancellor's thuggish enforcers, but in the masked person of "V" (Hugo Weaving), a mysterious swashbuckling figure whose features are hidden behind the plastic likeness of Guy Fawkes. Previously unknown, he is about to become the most infamous individual in the city, a dark knight who inspires the people and enrages the authorities.
Evey (Natalie Portman), a TV station gopher and aspiring actress, is on her way home after curfew when Sutler's brutes corner her with the intention of rape - or worse. She is saved from her fate by V, who dispatches her attackers without effort. He then invites her to watch a "performance" he has orchestrated: the explosive destruction of the Old Bailey, complete with fireworks choreographed to the strains of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." The date is November 5 ("Remember, remember the fifth of November�"), and the action is the opening salvo in V's one-man attempt to topple Sutler and his right-hand man, Creedy (Tim Pigott-Smith). He offers Evey the chance to join him, but she is frightened and seeks sanctuary with television personality and co-worker Deitrich (Stephen Fry). Meanwhile, a police investigation led by Inspector Finch (Stephen Rea) begins a search for the identity of the terrorist V.
V for Vendetta is a series of moments. From the destruction of the Old Bailey to V's introductory monologue (where nearly every other word begins with the letter "v") to the toppling of a massive number of dominoes to the final, blood-soaked battle, the movie offers plenty of chances for nape hairs to stand on end. (Must be the Tchaikovsky that did it for me�) The plot is a little dense at times, with the whodunit? elements never quite mixing with the edgier thriller aspects. And the Guy Fawkes stuff (he was a Catholic extremist who tried to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605) seems extraneous (probably because I'm an American).
There are plenty of ideas. Some would argue that's what the screenwriters, the Wachowski Brothers, are best at - giving viewers things to think about. Although there's a fine line between smart material and over-the-top hokum, V for Vendetta mostly stays on the right side of the demarcation. The movie asks questions about the price we're willing to pay by giving up freedom to feel safe (a far cry from "Give me liberty or give me death!"), and argues that the term "terrorist" is defined by perspective. There's an eerie speech about the power inherent in the destruction of a symbolic building that will have nearly every American envisioning the shadow of Osama bin Laden looming over the World Trade Center.
From a visual standpoint, V for Vendetta bears the earmarks of a comic book-to-film adaptation: rich images, deep shadows, and strong iconography. Although not on par with Sin City, which is more like a graphic novel come to life, V for Vendetta has the power to arrest the viewer's attention. Yet, by keeping the perspective that of a na�ve girl dragged into this brutal struggle, McTeigue ensures that the human element is not lost. The co-creator of the source material, Alan Moore, has distanced himself from the cinematic version, but this V for Vendetta works on its own terms.
No awards will be handed out for acting. Beneath the mask and cowl of V, Hugo Weaving isn't required to do more than appear imposing and concentrate on his vocals. It's an anonymous role that anyone could play. (In fact, Weaving replaced James Purefoy when he left after citing "creative differences" with the filmmakers.) Natalie Portman is solid, and particularly good during the torture scenes and their aftermath, but this isn't the most representative example of her range, and she is plagued by an inability to develop a consistent British accent. (The schoolgirl costume she wears during one scene will have fetishists drooling, however.) Stephen Rea is suitably low-key as the hangdog policeman. And John Hurt gets to salivate and chew on the scenery in a way that he hasn't been able to in years.
V for Vendetta plunders a variety of pop culture sources. Some of the references are from the graphic novel; others are unique to the movie. Without overthinking or digging too deep, viewers will be able to identify parallels with 1984, The Matrix, The Phantom of the Opera, Zorro, and even Star Wars. V for Vendetta can be seen as a political allegory, but it's not as blatant a comment on current events as some reviewers might claim. Still, if you want to go down that road, the associations are there to explore. For those who would prefer to simply enjoy this textured, futuristic tale of love, loss, and mayhem, V for Vendetta satisfies for the entirety of its two-plus hour run.
"V for Vendetta" is not a movie of ideas so much as it is an idea mall. By the time you've gotten through it, you feel spent, loaded down and more than a little disoriented. Part of the problem is that the movie's big concepts � violence begets violence, absolute power corrupts absolutely, everything is connected, my terrorist is your freedom fighter, etc. � are pithy, brief and irrefutable enough to embroider on throw pillows. But its moral and philosophical stances amount to a free-for-all.
The movie begins with a historical flashback to 1605, as Guy Fawkes is shown being seized, arrested and hanged. The scene is played for maximum pathos: A suffering lady looks toward the gallows with watery eyes. No surprise then, that, some four centuries into the future, what Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) wants to know is, "But what of the man? Who was he really? What was he like?" A good question, which the movie declines to answer. Fawkes was an English soldier and Catholic dissident who conspired to kill King James I and blow up Parliament. He was caught in time, made to confess under torture and executed. On Nov. 5, Britons celebrate the thwarting of his plot by burning the guy in effigy � another detail also conveniently left out of the film, which would rather have us think of him as a cross between Zorro and Sid Vicious.
The character Evey is talking about is not Fawkes, anyway. He's a Fawkes-masked renegade (and accomplished fencer) code-named V, who employs terrorist tactics in the name of democracy. Written by Andy and Larry Wachowski and directed by James McTeigue, the movie is based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore, who took his name off the project. Published in 1989, the comics imagined a totalitarian England of the not-too-distant future, in which a draconian Thatcherism predicated on order, conformity and intolerance has mushroomed into totalitarian repression. As the story goes, America's endless foreign war has led England into isolationism and panic, which an ambitious conservative politician has recognized and seized as a political tool, feeding public fear through deception of the most despicably murderous sort.
In the envisioning of this dystopia, Orwell is given the kind of homage that would make some people call their lawyers � the party motto, for instance, which is plastered all over town, is "strength through unity, unity through faith." Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt, who played the oppressed and ultimately broken Winston Smith in "1984") has been swept into office by terrified Britons willing to relinquish democracy in return for protection. Soon, Sutler's henchmen are rounding up writers, artists, dissidents and gays for use in medical experiments, until someone blows up the facility � a patient, strangely resistant to the virus they've developed, who emerges from the flames looking like a barbecued sausage and howling with righteous anger. Soon, he'll be promoting anarchy in the U.K.
So far, so promising. But rather than show us a nightmare world in which even the mildest dissent can get you thrown in a cage with a hood over your head, it repeatedly tells us, in lengthy soliloquies, that England's citizens live under constant surveillance, cowering in fear. And yet every time a newscaster lies on the air, he or she is greeted by a hearty cry of "bollocks!" Winston Smith would think he'd died and gone to Disneyland.
As for what's permitted and what's not, it's pretty hard to say. Apparently, in the future, paintings by Vermeer, busts of Nefertiti and Velvet Underground songs covered by Cat Power will be banned, but the middle classes will live in spacious, comfortably appointed apartments. Butter will be scarce, but red spray paint will be readily available to any 9-year-old girl.
With such fuzzy parameters, it's no wonder the characters behave incongruously. Despite all the lengthy speeches about living in fear, they are risk-takers, lane-changers and, frankly, fickle dates. Evey, an assistant at the British Television Network, is surprisingly sanguine and plucky for someone who as a child watched her parents dragged away in the middle of the night with bags over their heads. We first meet her as she primps for a date, the firebrand TV pundit Lewis Prothero (Roger Allam), spewing bile in the background. Like apparently everyone else in England, Evey seems somewhat blithe about the whole brutal-regime thing. She doesn't deny herself the pleasure of talking back to the TV, nor does she allow curfew to impinge on her social life. She has a date with her boss, Gordon Dietrich (Stephen Fry), a popular television personality many years her senior, and she does her best to keep it, curfew be damned.
It's not that you begrudge Evey's taking the opportunity to advance her career, or even to meet new masked people. It's just that you'd think, you live in a brutality repressive state for most of your life, you look over your shoulder once in a while. Not her. Nor Gordon, who for a high-level media figure at a state-run station comports himself pretty naively. Nor even Det. Finch (Stephen Rea), who is assigned to track down the terrorist, and instead ends up confronting the truth about his leaders, daring even to ask questions out loud.
Evey and V (Hugo Weaving) meet in a dark alley when he saves her from government thugs. By way of introduction, he carves his logo, an encircled V, reminiscent of the symbol for anarchy, onto a government propaganda poster. Then he invites Evey along to watch him blow up the Old Bailey � step No. 1 in his plan to rouse the people of England out of their submissive stupor, rid them of their tyrant, and forge a democracy from heavy explosives. Step No. 2 will involve taking over the state-run, Fox News- and CNN-inspired channel, the British Television Network, and announcing to viewers that their government has lied to and manipulated them. Step No. 3 is a cinch: All that's left to do is to FedEx a Guy Fawkes mask to every soul in London, and watch everyone do the freedom march toward the big, incendiary finale.
With a wealth of new, real-life parallels to draw from in the areas of government surveillance, torture, fear-mongering and media manipulation, not to mention corporate corruption and religious hypocrisy, you can't really blame the filmmakers for having a field day referencing current events. Avian flu, attacks on the subway, "America's war," the systematic persecution of gays and Muslims, profiteering pharmaceutical companies, conservative pundits cynically cultivating fear, news channels devoted to hatred and intolerance, vivid allusions to Abu Ghraib and references to Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria � it's all inside, right alongside the old standards, the AIDS epidemic and Nazism. Lacking genuine argument, though, it plays like a pastiche: the terror decade's greatest hits, extended dance remix.
"I've seen firsthand the power of ideas," Evey says in her opening voice-over, then veers into portentous non sequitur: "But you can't hold an idea, or kiss it." Indeed you can't. You also can't send it out for beer, or pass off a series of allusions as a story, or spackle plot holes by referencing spiritual philosophies. In the saffron robe and shaved head of her post-captivity incarnation, Evey looks remarkably like a Tibetan monk. You know the reference is not accidental � as the movie continually reminds us, there are no coincidences. She's faced her death and lost her fear, and is suddenly prone to making pronouncements like "God is in the rain." At this point, it's hard not to be reminded of the old joke about the Buddhist and the hot dog vendor. V has made Evey one with everything. Everything is connected, but nothing adds up. Ambitious as it is, its inconsistencies bring "V for Vendetta" down. God may very well be in the rain, but the devil is in the details.
This is a dangerous film. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, V FOR VENDETTA is a medieval mystery play re-imagined for the 21st century and spiffed up with some nifty, but not overbearing, special effects. A political thriller enhanced with a healthy dose of both fantasy and current relevance, it questions authority in ways that are discomfiting for some, liberating for others, and eye-opening for everyone. After watching this intelligent extrapolation of the current social and political climate, one would be hard-pressed to accept anything at face value again.
The time is the near future. The place is London. The United States have collapsed, terrorism is rampant and, and the UK has emerged as the leading light in a world gone mad. At least that is the opinion of Lewis Prothero (Roger Allam), the right-wing pundit known as the Voice of London, whose daily jingoistic rantings on the BTN television network are intolerance of the vilest sort masquerading as national pride. In this not so very brave new world, where color-coded curfews are set for the public's protection, Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman), a low-level employee of the ci-mentioned network, runs afoul of the curfew and before suffering a fate worse than death at the hands of the law, is rescued by V (Hugo Weaving), a man in a sweeping cape and a Guy Fawkes mask who wields swords in ways that make mere artillery pale in comparison. Though grateful, her first question to him after listening to his mellifluous monologue about his mission to free the People, is to ask if he's a crazy person. He answers by showing off his handiwork, blowing up London's Old Bailey. She's rescued again when she returns the favor during V's takeover of BTN the next day for an unscheduled broadcast where he incites the populace to take back their country. He also corrects the previously broadcast story, dictated by the High Chancellor (John Hurt) about the Old Bailey being demolished on purpose to make way for urban renovation. It's the spark that begins to wake the sleeping populace that in its fear and complacency has surrendered its freedom.
Thus begins a credible riff on "The Phantom of the Opera" by way of 1984 as the lovely Evey, safely ensconced in V's underground lair, falls under the spell of this charming lone revolutionary who can steal luxuries from the High Chancellor's private stock as well as orchestrate Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" to boom from the London's public address system while blowing up its central court. He fusses over breakfast for her, quotes Shakespeare as easily as he breathes, plays pop standards of smoldering sensuality on his jukebox, and offers her protection after she's been labeled a criminal as much for her parent's political leanings and for being the wrong place at the wrong time, as for helping V escape.
Hot on their trail is Eric Finch (Stephen Rea), a good cop and decent, if rumpled man, who becomes more and more disillusioned the more he digs into V's identity, and from piecing together what was in the official documents that are curiously missing from official archives.
It's not the locations, the familiar landmarks of London, nor the clothing and other accoutrements, such as the Nazi-esque iconography of The Party, that ground the story in a recognizable reality. Rather, it's the all too familiar ring of the rhetoric spewing from government officials who use security as an excuse for suppressing civil rights, and the government-scripted news shows that whip the country into submission by keeping it afraid from a variety of "threats" ranging from the civil war now raging in the former United States to suspected outbreaks of avian flu in distant countries. At home, surveillance vans roam the streets eavesdropping on conversations as a way of gauging public opinion and then shaping it, while also weeding out dissidents, deviants, and undesirables, sometimes with a knock on the door in the middle of the night and another person disappearing into the darkness.
What supports the action and allows it to unfold in a way that is engaging and engrossing are Weaving and Portman. Weaving imbues V with the necessary vibrancy of one swept up in a cause that is all consuming. Working with the handicap of the mask, he rises above it with a voice that sweeps as gracefully as a pirouette and body language that is as expressive as any facial expression. Portman fairly burns with intensity and a sweet vulnerability that gives the film an emotional base from which to work amid the political allegory at work. Director James McTeigue (working from a script by THE MATRIX's Wachowski Brothers) never loses sight of the human element in the story, which is why the performances by a roster of first-class actors (Stephen Fry, Rupert Graves, Tim Piggot-Smith, and John Standing), are as important as the story they play out and why this is more than a crisply paced action-thriller. If it sags a bit in its narrative structure, it overcomes that with sheer energy and a potent message. When V says the film's catch phrase, people should be afraid of their government, governments should be afraid of their people, the preview audience with whom I saw V FOR VENDETTA broke into cheers. Such is the power of this story.
Yet for all the mayhem and revolutionary fervor expected in a film of this genre, the role of violence is never glorified for its own sake. In fact, it's deplored with an underlying political philosophy that is sophisticaed and undeniably humane. Even as V opines that sometimes violence can be good, it is also makes clear, and this is the key, that his transformation, in both body and mind, wrought by government-sanctioned torturers, has separated him forever from humanity. This is more than just a flight of fancy. As an entertainment, V FOR VENDETTA is terrific, but as a cautionary tale abut the abuse of power and its repercussions, it�s divine.
I�ll let others debate all the political ramifications in V For Vendetta; my problem is that as a movie it fails to engage
V For Vendetta Lacks an E for Emotional Involvement
The fine line between a terrorist and a patriot is the undercurrent that fuels V For Vendetta. Unfortunately, that undercurrent remains background noise that never reaches a crescendo because the characters in V do not engage us with the emotional power that it would take to make the political ramifications hit us in the gut. Without that engagement, V For Vendetta is something occasionally interesting, beautifully photographed and slyly subversive in the casting of John Hurt. The bottom line, however, is that the Wachowski brothers, who created the mythology of The Matrix trilogy, fall short with their screenplay for V, adapted from the graphic novels by Alan Moore.
Produced by the Wachowskis and Joel Silver, James McTeigue (assistant director of The Matrix) is at the helm, making his directorial debut. Set in a future where the United States is �the world�s largest leper colony� after a virulent viral attack, Great Britain has survived as a totalitarian regime run by the vainglorious Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt). Marshal law rules, the government controls the media, many books are banned � for that Fahrenheit 451 ambience � and the overall veneer is pure Orwellian.
Evey (Natalie Portman) gets caught on the streets after curfew by a couple of cops � who want to do a lot more to her than cop a feel � when the mysterious, masked V (Hugo Weaving) appears. He rescues her, then brings her to the top of a building to explain his plan to have the people take back their government. He blows up the Old Bailey to the music of the �1812 Overture.� Evey realizes that this man might have the right idea, but his method is madness. The next day V takes over the national television system to state his case for civil disobedience to the people. Evey, who works there, changes her life forever when she helps him escape. Now she is an enemy of the state and a virtual prisoner of V in his underground lair filled with illegal objects, including a jukebox filled with love songs.
In the course of the story we learn that the government is spying on its citizens, taking anyone they care to into custody and generally ruling with fear. There is still a bit of humanity left, at least in the heart and mind of Chief Inspector Finch (Stephen Rea) who isn�t happy about what�s happened to his country. While searching for V and Evey, he uncovers the cover-up that created V�s lust for vengeance. The detective vacillates between doing his duty as designated by the state, which means continuing the cover-up, or doing what feels right morally, validating V�s actions by exposing the vicious truth: the government experimented on prisoners at a secret facility, looking for a biological weapon. V was violated at that very prison, hence his need for vengeance.
This should be a compelling story, but except for the excellent turn by Rea, the emotional connection is literally masked. It is hard to feel the emotional turmoil of V when his voice is his only connection. The eyes are the windows to the soul and it hurts that we don�t see V�s, despite Hugo Weaving�s vocal prowess. We are expected to identify with Evey, but her character is more a victim than a valiant heroine. She is ready to die, but is she ready to fight? The Wachowski brothers don�t do a very good job of making Evey someone we can identify with and root for.
As for the casting coup with Hurt as the evil warlord of Great Britain, he starred as everyman Winston Smith in Michael Radford�s film version of Orwell�s 1984, adding an ironic touch to the proceedings.
I�ll let others debate all the political ramifications in V For Vendetta; my problem is that as a movie it fails to engage.
Footnote: I saw the film at the Tropicana�s IMAX screen, which made the failure to bring emotional context to such vivid visuals even more aggravating.