My Take on the Movies - V FOR VENDETTA
V for Vendetta (2005) began this weekend in East Bay theaters. It stars Hugo Weaving (The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings) as “V”, Natalie Portman (Star Wars I, II, and III) as Evey, Stephen Rea as Inspector Finch (who spends the entire film hunting V), and Stephen Fry as Gordon “Daddy” Dietrich. The film is from a comic book novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, and is directed by James McTeigue.
The film contains elements of Zorro, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Phantom of the Opera, yet it has the feel of the old Batman television series. This is not so surprising, given it is a presentation of DC Comics. The overall theme of the movie is revenge, as its title implies, but the pattern and the reason for the revenge are a little slow in being revealed.
We are first introduced to “V” wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, rescuing Evey from a trio of depraved police officers. The historical Guy Fawkes was one of a group of revolutionaries who attempted to blow up the British House of Parliament in 1605. V’s own original target is the Old Bailey, London’s famous criminal courthouse. Although the plot of the movie is rooted in history, its presentation is somewhat futuristic in spots. There are scenes that recall the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust, juxtaposed with headlines of modern day medical experimentation, retinal scans for identification, biological warfare, and the recent demise of the United States.
V has so many diverse influences that it is impossible to keep track of them all. The film is all over the map, with its Shakespearean quotations, Tchaikovsky’s and Beethoven’s music, and outdoor settings reminiscent of Jack the Ripper’s famous reign. It contains references to the Boston Tea Party and Faust’s pact with the devil. At one point the story goes off on a tangent about the British government’s intolerance for homosexuality. It is a map that is difficult at times to follow.
Like the original Guy Fawkes, V’s ultimate goal is the overthrow of a government which has become repressive, censorious, corrupt, and blind to the interests of its subjects. During one of his soliloquies, V expresses the noble opinion that “An idea can still change the world.” V is the representation of an idea that is designed to change a world gone mad.
The symbol “V” stands for the hero’s mark, the Roman V on a prisoner’s door, the date of the planned destruction (November 5), Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and a whole list of “v” words, not the least of which is “violence.” The film is replete with symbolism, not all of which is entirely comprehensible.
I have to say that I don’t know quite what to make of the movie. It is certainly very fast-paced, visually stimulating, and even has elements of a love story. There is a lot more here than initially meets the eye. What does it all mean? That is one question I cannot hope to answer.
♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠
[© 03/18/2006] By: A. L. “Toni” Anderson
The film contains elements of Zorro, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Phantom of the Opera, yet it has the feel of the old Batman television series. This is not so surprising, given it is a presentation of DC Comics. The overall theme of the movie is revenge, as its title implies, but the pattern and the reason for the revenge are a little slow in being revealed.
We are first introduced to “V” wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, rescuing Evey from a trio of depraved police officers. The historical Guy Fawkes was one of a group of revolutionaries who attempted to blow up the British House of Parliament in 1605. V’s own original target is the Old Bailey, London’s famous criminal courthouse. Although the plot of the movie is rooted in history, its presentation is somewhat futuristic in spots. There are scenes that recall the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust, juxtaposed with headlines of modern day medical experimentation, retinal scans for identification, biological warfare, and the recent demise of the United States.
V has so many diverse influences that it is impossible to keep track of them all. The film is all over the map, with its Shakespearean quotations, Tchaikovsky’s and Beethoven’s music, and outdoor settings reminiscent of Jack the Ripper’s famous reign. It contains references to the Boston Tea Party and Faust’s pact with the devil. At one point the story goes off on a tangent about the British government’s intolerance for homosexuality. It is a map that is difficult at times to follow.
Like the original Guy Fawkes, V’s ultimate goal is the overthrow of a government which has become repressive, censorious, corrupt, and blind to the interests of its subjects. During one of his soliloquies, V expresses the noble opinion that “An idea can still change the world.” V is the representation of an idea that is designed to change a world gone mad.
The symbol “V” stands for the hero’s mark, the Roman V on a prisoner’s door, the date of the planned destruction (November 5), Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and a whole list of “v” words, not the least of which is “violence.” The film is replete with symbolism, not all of which is entirely comprehensible.
I have to say that I don’t know quite what to make of the movie. It is certainly very fast-paced, visually stimulating, and even has elements of a love story. There is a lot more here than initially meets the eye. What does it all mean? That is one question I cannot hope to answer.
♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠
[© 03/18/2006] By: A. L. “Toni” Anderson
posted by A. L. "Toni" Anderson at 6:52 PM
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