V For Vendetta
Directed by: James McTeigue
Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Stephen Rea
Rated: R for strong violence and some language.
Parental Notes: This is not a film for youngsters. There is a fair dose of violence and the glorification of rebellion against authority. Parents will want to consider whether their children are ready for this sort of grown-up movie.
The Wachowski brothers and James McTeigue (their first assistant director on the Matrix films) have done it again: “V for Vendetta,” like the Matrix trilogy, packs a punch in individual scenes and contains plenty of thrilling action, but taken as a whole is something of a mess. Sadly, “V for Vendetta” is even messier than the Matrix films. Character arcs fall apart when examined, only the villains make tactical mistakes, and the passage of time is frequently unclear. However, if those who can suspend their disbelief and quiet any tendencies toward analysis will find “V for Vendetta” entertaining.
The title character, V (Hugo Weaving, “The Matrix” trilogy), is a lone freedom fighter in totalitarian Britain who goes about cloaked and wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. He rescues Evey (Natalie Portman, “Closer”) from corrupt patrolmen, and is fascinated by her name. He offers to take her with him to a performance — which turns out to be the demolition of the Old Bailey, Britain’s high courthouse. She is horrified, but when later he broadcasts a message urging Britain’s citizens to rise up and join him in overthrowing the government, she finds herself drawn to him and winds up acting as his helper.
Meanwhile, dictator Adam Sutler (John Hurt, “The Skeleton Key”), is demanding that his underlings find V and prevent any sort of uprising. Inspector Finch (Stephen Rea, “Breakfast on Pluto”) is hot on V’s trail but his investigation is turning up things about the government which Sutler would prefer stayed buried. As V’s scheme nears its completion and Finch digs deeper and deeper, the government’s hold on Britain looks increasingly tenuous.
The individual scenes in “V for Vendetta” are extremely powerful. There are thrilling fights, moving revelations, and stoic reactions to terrible things. Unfortunately, when strung together the scenes lose some of their power. V’s character is straightforward and borderline sociopathic, but the people around him seem more driven by plot necessities than by any sort of character arcs. Evey’s reactions to V’s behavior are strange, Finch vacillates between being heroic and being one of the villains, and it’s only V who has any sort of consistency to him.
It’s a pity, because Evey could serve as the audience’s entry into the strange world V inhabits, much as Neo served as an entry into the strange world of the Matrix. However, Evey is too inconsistent to be easily identified with. Her strength in the second half of the film is inspiring, but the explanation for it is difficult to reconcile with the rest of the film.
Fortunately, V is a thrilling character. He’s much like the Phantom of the Opera: mysterious, masked, impossibly talented at a variety of subjects, and thoroughly romantic. He represents standing up against a totalitarian government, and is happy to be the catalyst for change even if he cannot participate in the new, free Britain he is helping to bring about.
Many things from the graphic novel have been changed, as usually happens with the transition to film. Fans of the original will have to set aside their fond memories of that story in order to enjoy this new version. Characters’ roles and professions have been shifted, and only the basic outline of the original story remains, along with a few interesting tidbits.
Even with its flaws, “V for Vendetta” is a thoroughly entertaining film. Moviegoers who can enjoy a film in the moment rather than by examining and analyzing it, and who are looking for a good action flick with a little philosophy thrown in will probably enjoy it. Those who like their philosophy to actually make sense and who insist on consistent character arcs and a flowing plot should find another film to see.
–30–
From my perspective I was unaware that philosophy had to always make sense, especially when we are dealing with perceptions.
Perhaps Evey did in fact serve as the audience’s entry into V’s world, even more so by her apprehension. She was reluctant and although understood V, was not ready to assist in committing murder or changing her entire world even if for something she might have believed in (Besides the fact of being fearful of the government that has taken away her parents). This goes on everyday in the real world. The inner struggle to pick and choose our battles for what we believe in, or to conform and ignore the problems we see because it is easier, more convenient, or perhaps even profitable for us to do so.
When Evey believes she is imprisoned, she is taught not to fear and to stand up for what she believes in (whether right or wrong). There are very few people I come across that do not experience some doubt at one time or another.
This film reminded me of the book, Ninety Eight Four. All philosophy students should check it out.