Yes, I mocked plans for V for Vendetta severely last year when I first read about it. What can I say… have you seen the last two Matrix films?
All mocking aside, I didn't expect much at the time, but found myself intrigued and looking forward to this one the closer we got to release date. Perhaps it's the sad slate of films we've had to pick from the past couple of months, but this one finally piqued my interest and we went to check it out Friday.
All I can say is that I'm glad I was wrong. I found this one entertaining and topical, in that special niche that good SF manages to occupy. There are big ideas played at with heroic and villainous actions performed, all to the tempos of the best action adventures. Striking visuals, entertaining fight scenes, and some pretty decent acting to top it all off. Special kudos to Hugo Weaving for rising to the actor's nightmare challenge of acting behind a mask for the entire movie, and pulling it off admirably.
I know Moore has washed his hands of the film (he's had his name removed from the credits and has referred to the script as imbecilic, if I remember correctly). I just picked up the graphic novel and have only read a little of it so far but it looks to me like they've done a pretty impressive job of bringing the story up to date and setting it in a world we can all relate to. I'm not sure yet why Moore hates it so much (perhaps he's still smarting from "LXG", as well he should), but I've got some thoughts on that. I doubt, for instance, that his novel ends on the same hopeful note that the film does, but it'll be interesting to find out.
I also have to acknowledge that, for all it's attempts at topicality when it comes to ideas like freedom of expression and civil rights, the movie does play it pretty safe when it comes to its terrorist. Let's face it, V is a gentleman terrorist… he only kills those that deserve it—active participants in the story's oppressive regime or standard issue orcs (the footsoldiers just "following orders". Apparently, that's not a viable excuse where V's concerned.) But his attacks are clean and no one that shouldn't die does… that evil is left to the minions of Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt à la Big Brother). His goals are noble and his methods, while violent, are precise and effective. We're obviously in the land of fantasy, but it's a heroic fantasy we can all accept.
The LA Times review faults the film for the fact that, while we're told that the people are living under a repressive regime, their standard of living seems good and people are pretty outspoken and quick to flaunt the regulations. Perhaps this is a flaw, but I saw it as more likely an attempt to keep the world something the audience could relate to. Go too far into 1984* territory and the movie would become too bleak for any sense of connection between the audience and it's themes.
Maybe the drought is over and we've finally got good… at the very least entertaining… movies back in the theatres again. We'll see. But for now, V was a fun time at the movies. And that's been hard to find lately.
*(How interestingly cyclical that John Hurt plays the evil Big Brother character in V, and was the tragic "hero" Winston Smith of this version of 1984.)
All mocking aside, I didn't expect much at the time, but found myself intrigued and looking forward to this one the closer we got to release date. Perhaps it's the sad slate of films we've had to pick from the past couple of months, but this one finally piqued my interest and we went to check it out Friday.
All I can say is that I'm glad I was wrong. I found this one entertaining and topical, in that special niche that good SF manages to occupy. There are big ideas played at with heroic and villainous actions performed, all to the tempos of the best action adventures. Striking visuals, entertaining fight scenes, and some pretty decent acting to top it all off. Special kudos to Hugo Weaving for rising to the actor's nightmare challenge of acting behind a mask for the entire movie, and pulling it off admirably.
I know Moore has washed his hands of the film (he's had his name removed from the credits and has referred to the script as imbecilic, if I remember correctly). I just picked up the graphic novel and have only read a little of it so far but it looks to me like they've done a pretty impressive job of bringing the story up to date and setting it in a world we can all relate to. I'm not sure yet why Moore hates it so much (perhaps he's still smarting from "LXG", as well he should), but I've got some thoughts on that. I doubt, for instance, that his novel ends on the same hopeful note that the film does, but it'll be interesting to find out.
I also have to acknowledge that, for all it's attempts at topicality when it comes to ideas like freedom of expression and civil rights, the movie does play it pretty safe when it comes to its terrorist. Let's face it, V is a gentleman terrorist… he only kills those that deserve it—active participants in the story's oppressive regime or standard issue orcs (the footsoldiers just "following orders". Apparently, that's not a viable excuse where V's concerned.) But his attacks are clean and no one that shouldn't die does… that evil is left to the minions of Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt à la Big Brother). His goals are noble and his methods, while violent, are precise and effective. We're obviously in the land of fantasy, but it's a heroic fantasy we can all accept.
The LA Times review faults the film for the fact that, while we're told that the people are living under a repressive regime, their standard of living seems good and people are pretty outspoken and quick to flaunt the regulations. Perhaps this is a flaw, but I saw it as more likely an attempt to keep the world something the audience could relate to. Go too far into 1984* territory and the movie would become too bleak for any sense of connection between the audience and it's themes.
Maybe the drought is over and we've finally got good… at the very least entertaining… movies back in the theatres again. We'll see. But for now, V was a fun time at the movies. And that's been hard to find lately.
*(How interestingly cyclical that John Hurt plays the evil Big Brother character in V, and was the tragic "hero" Winston Smith of this version of 1984.)
Comments
I loved the movie. Seen it twice.
And, yes, the novel is not as hopeful in the end. I would say the message of the film is one of hope and love and power to the people. A democratic message. The novel carries a message of anarchy and chaos and burn, baby, burn.
V, however, is much the same in both. While he is a 'gentleman terrorist', he is still a monster (and Evey calls him on it).
Q
I've never been able to accept the whole anarchy thing. Too, I don't know, naive for me? "Yeah, burn it all down! Whatever comes after has got to be better!" Yeah, right.
As for 1984, I agree. Problem is, that's the milieu of the book. It's dark, dismal and incredibly depressing. The movie really nailed it. Probably why I've never gone back for a second viewing (though I somehow ended up reading the damn thing a half-dozen times when I was in school!).