What’s that? Subliminal works here? Oh yes, yes he does. Hello everyone and welcome to my first review. As you can probably see by the picture, my very first review will be the film V for Vendetta. I will avoid recounting the plot of the movie. Instead, I will describe my general reactions to scenes, characters, and themes that I found interesting. First Reaction: Great movie. I really enjoyed seeing Hugo Weaving (V) shine in a different light. Natalie Portman (Evey) is also in excellent form in this movie.
All I knew as I went to see this movie was that it was similar in form to the book 1984 and set in the not-too-distant future. Having no expectations for this movie other than the theme of dystopian, I eagerly sat and awaited the film. Immediately upon starting the movie a preaching propagandist (who I thought looked and sounded like some famous radio hosts) and an announcement of an 11:00 p.m. curfew illustrated the total control of the government. Then, as the beautiful Natalie Portman makes her way to a date with an as yet unknown man, the corruption in the government is made apparent by a group of three government special agents that are intent on raping Portman.
Enter the hero. Waxing poetic, Hugo Weaving arrives on scene apparently by coincidence. Since I had only seen Weaving in the Matrix trilogy (Agent Smith) and in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (Lord Elrond), I was totally unprepared for the fluid and melodic meter of V. Through alliteration V shows his contempt for the government agents and what they stand for. The theme of the well-mannered and cultured individual that is V continues throughout the film. The honesty of the character and the ideals portrayed by V were appreciated by this humble viewer.
Another theme that this humble viewer appreciated was the movie’s portrayal of homosexuality as simply a relationship between two people. To me, the governmental suppression of homosexuals in the movie seemed to be a hyperbole to the way someone who is homosexual is treated now. Through several sources, the movie attempts to illustrate that the oppression is wrong and that people that are in love with someone of the same gender show the same passion, care, commitment, devotion, and love as anyone else in the world. It is my opinion that the movie’s theme is manifold, speaking out against tyranny as well as against oppression. While this theme in the movie didn’t court as much controversy as
Was there something that I didn’t enjoy about the movie? Yes. There were a few scenes that sort of act as character fantasies or beliefs about the future. In these scenes, which were mostly good, a few characters are used that were used during the movie. This ends up being really confusing at the end when you say, “Hey I thought this happened to them, or that, how are they back here?”
16 out of 22. Great acting, great story, great themes, poetry, and Natalie Portman in a cute costume.
4 comments:
Niiiiiiice review, guy. You didn't do your homework at all, did you? First of all, V for Vendetta was a graphic novel by the legendary Alan Moore, illustrated by David Lloyd way back in the early 80's. The Wachowskis had nothing to do with the conception of the story, save some changes for the movie. The reason Parliment was blown up is that because it was blown up in the original book! What a novel concept. And the movie's made way more that 50 million at this point, blame the tepid domestic box office.
Hey, I'm only defending the movie to a point. I've read V loads of times, and there definitely were things I missed in it, asides from the changed ending. But how is the message treasonous? What kind of logic states that it's never, ever, ever ok to revolt, even violently, against a government? Should we have joined the fight against Germany in World War II, or should have just minded our damn business? How do you think the Persians in Iran feel, as their heritage is choked by an extreme right-wing theocracy? How would you overthrow an oppressive regime, tickle them out of office? I'm not saying that anybody should jump to that kind of extreme reaction, but there can be a time and a place where it may be necessary.
And the box-office has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the fact that films aren't making as much money as they should? Uh-huh. I guess means that movies like Serenity, Fight Club, and Requiem for a Dream got what they deserved. Hmmm. Better add Citizen Kane and It's a Wonderful Life to that list as well. Whereas, Titanic is clearly a shining example of stellar filmmaking, forget the Seven Samurai or The Godfather. Clearly, there's no accounting for taste. The fact is, people aren't really going to the movies as much as they used to. There was a slump all last year, broke inexplicably by the tepid, Fantastic Four, not Batman Begins. Somebody doesn't have their priorities straight. Looking at you, Hollywood.
How can a movie in an exaggerated version of reality be "dangerous"? Is Batman Begins dangerous for promoting vigilantism? What about the Harry Potter series, for promoting the black arts shamelessly? He couldn't let the scientist live because a) it's clunky storywise to do so, and b)she wanted death. V's torture, and the experimentation that gave him his enhanced strength and speed serves as a catalyst to lend greater purpose to his extreme activities. You have NO STORY if Roger Bumpkiss
wakes up and gets the paper, and decides, "Cor Blimey! I think the government is a bit on the dodgy side these days. Mildred, fetch my rabbit gun!" It's not important who V was at all because he is supposed to be a symbol, and the fact that he's somewhat of a monster is just realism. The government would never have been successfully overthrown if V hadn't gotten through to the people and inspired them to organize, as well as exterminate all of the members of the current administration that would block any dissident activities. Plus, he doesn't kill them all, I remember Dascombe and a few others living to the end. But it sounds like you find any kind of rebellious thought disturbing, and maybe you should stick with lighter fare such as Ice Age 2 or whatever Queen Latifah fare is being shoveled down our throats every month if such films confuse you so.
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