CORPORATE LINE: Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a young working-class woman named Evey who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man known only as “V.”
Profoundly complex, V is at once literary, flamboyant, tender and intellectual, a man dedicated to freeing his fellow citizens from those who have terrorized them into compliance. He is also bitter, revenge-seeking, lonely and violent, driven by a personal vendetta.
In his quest to free the people of England from the corruption and cruelty that have poisoned their government, V condemns the tyrannical nature of their appointed leaders and invites his fellow citizens to join him in the shadows of Parliament on November the 5th – Guy Fawkes Day.
On that day in 1605, Guy Fawkes was discovered in a tunnel beneath Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder. He and his co-conspirators had engineered the treasonous “Gunpowder Plot” in response to the tyranny of their government under James I. Fawkes and his fellow saboteurs were hanged, drawn and quartered, and their plan to take down their government never came to pass.
In the spirit of that rebellion, in remembrance of that day, V vows to carry out the plot that Fawkes was executed for attempting on November 5th in 1605: he will blow up Parliament.
As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious past, she also discovers the truth about herself – and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to ignite a revolution, bringing freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.
THE REVIEW: Politics is at the forefront—not action. So if you are going for wall-to-wall Matrix style action you will be disappointed. The biggest problem is how hard it is to hear V. It would seem, after spending so much money to make this movie there would be an overdub of Hugh Weaving’s voice. The CGI is amazing. V’s final battle is proof positive that the Wachowski brothers can still create awe-inspiring films. Yes, there are a lot of things that happen if only perfection is achieved and most of the film relies on the unrealistic—but when these sort of things happen in a Batman or Superman movie we overlook it. Why is it so hard to believe that V is so brilliant? Why shouldn’t we suspend some reality and believe he planned things to perfection? It’s okay for Batman.
THE EXTRAS:
“Freedom! Forever!: Making V for Vendetta” – The cast and crew of V for Vendetta reveal the intense filmmaking process and the adaptation of the comic book.
“Designing the Near Future” – A seventeen minute look at the artistic process of creating the frightening future world of V.
“Remember, Remember: Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot” – The history behind the story of Guy Fawkes.
“England Prevails: V for Vendetta and the New Wave in Comics” – The origins of the original V story is illuminated.
Cat Power Montage – Cat Power song played under images of the film.
Easter egg: Saturday Night Live digital short including Natalie Portman.
FRANKLY (CINEMATIC REVIEW): V For Vendetta starts big and ends big. The problem is what is missing in the middle. The meat isn’t there. V For Vendetta advertises action and that is what’s missing most. It’s too slow and gets lost in a story not many viewers will be interested in.
UPDATED FRANKLY FOR DVD: After watching the DVD I have to admit V for Vendetta was better the second time. It’s interesting to watch a movie that reflects the world today. England—as portrayed in the movie—could be either Iran or America. America is turning into a religious mess of censorship and Iran is already the one faced in V For Vendetta. V For Vendetta is an underrated, brilliantly done film.
+ Charlie Craine
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