V for Vendetta
After the bad taste left in our mouths a few weeks ago by Date Movie, the wife and I really needed to see something to restore our faith in the movies again. Thankfully, V for Vendetta did just that.
If you are a person that is at all concerned about how our government has been acting lately, then you should see this movie.
The plot is about 20-30 years in the future in England. The U.S. is in Civil War, and England is being ruled by a high chancellor that has imposed curfews (for your protection) mass surveillance (illegal wiretapping anyone?) and banned homosexuals as well as alternative religions (for example, it’s a crime to simply own a Koran.)
A vigilante (or terrorist if you ask the government) named V is causing headaches for the government, and as unrest and dissent rise, the government cracks down more and more.
Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith in the Matrix) plays V, and Natalie Portman plays a girl named Evie. They were both excellent in their respective roles, especially Hugo who had to portray his character while always wearing a Guy Fawlkes mask. It’s no easy task to convey emotions when people cannot see your face, and Mr. Weaving was excellent in that regard.
Also, Natalie Portman is the real deal as an actress. Forget about the Star Wars movies where she was the victim of stilted dialog. She has chops and has been believable in every movie I’ve seen her in, from Garden State, to Closer, to V for Vendetta.
Now I KNOW that V for Vendetta has been out as a graphic novel for about 15 years or more, so it’s not like this was written as a response to the Iraq war or pointed in those directions. But, the scary thing is, the state of their government was so believable. If you don’t come away from this movie thinking about your own country, then you are simply one of the mindless sheep…
Now beyond the political feelings it brought out in me, the movie is excellent in it’s own right. Some of the action and pyro is very cool, and the storyline flows very nicely. This is one of the better movies I’ve seen in a long time. You should check it out.
March 27, 2006 @ 3:11 pm
Completely agree with you, it’s a cracking movie with a good storyline and some great acting. Good also to see the Wachowski brothers using some good British talent (like Stephen Fry) instead of going for big name Hollywood stars.
Matt
March 27, 2006 @ 6:51 pm
yeah- but isn’t Hugo Weaving Australian? (Ever see Priscilla Queen of the Desert?)
March 28, 2006 @ 8:49 pm
As the resident comic geek, I thought I’d chime in and say I really dug it, and I thought it was very close to the original comics. They made some tweaks, of course, but the spirit was definitely there. If you liked the story, you should really check out the graphic novel as there’s a lot more depth and the movie would be far too long if it tried to get into it all. Good stuff!
As for the surveillance, on the first page of the book there’s a video camera in a dome mounted to a light post, and it looks a lot like the ones we’re seeing in Chicago these days. Spooky. And it goes beyond the unauthorized wire taps. The Bishop is apparently monitored at all times, but those vans are actually roving sweepers that randomly monitor homes. Citizens pretty much have to assume the gov is listening at any given time. Fun place to live.
Take care,
Mike
March 31, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
i haven’t seen it, but everything i hear sounds encouraging. btw william gibson agrees
http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/blog/2006_03_01_archive.asp#114258572436494811