V for Vendetta
Authored By: Rosemary Flite and Michael Roth
V for Vendetta is an action thriller which takes place in not-so-distant future London. Originally planned for release on November 5th, 2005, its release was postponed until March 17, 2006 because some of the movie’s scenes were considered topically inappropriate due to a series of bombings which took place in London earlier in the year. Starring Hugo Weaving as the perpetually masked, revenge-driven protagonist “V” and Natalie Portman as a Evey, a somewhat rebellious young woman, the film shows a totalitarian future London, where curfew is enforced late at night and the now-fascist government is rife with corruption. Throughout the (admittedly somewhat predictable) story, we are subject to countless symbolic themes, shown often by high quality acting from Weaving and Portman.
It is not often that a big-budget film incorporates a faceless protagonist. In fact, it’s not often that any movies star a character without a face. Besides the obvious issue of having viewers relate to a mask, the perhaps larger obstacle to overcome is conveying emotion and attitude, something which Hugo Weaving excels at. In the earliest minutes of the movie, we are introduced to V, and it is no small introduction. After brutally defeating some less-than-savory curfew enforcers, intent on taking advantage of Evey, he delivers a self-described “vichyssoise of verbiage” filled with alliteration and enthusiastic idiolect. For a man with no visible face, V expresses his feelings exceptionally well. Natalie Portman, herself, is no stranger to excellent acting. It is from her perspective that we view a large part of the narrative, and due to her ability to convey thoughts and emotions that we understand the various scenarios in which she is put as well as we do. She allows the viewer to see Evey as the strong character that she is, and the film is infinitely better for it. Of course, excellent acting means next to nothing without a good story to tell.
A story which is, of course, filled with symbolism. Keep in mind, this is not a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact, it makes the movie better. A quick synopsis of the plot: London is now ruled by a fascist government, in a very “dystopian future of oppression” way. Evey is out after curfew, and is assaulted by the future officers of the law, who certainly don’t have her best interests in mind. It is through this that she meets V, a vigilante freedom fighter who wears a Guy Fawkes mask all the time. He invites her onto a rooftop, where she bears witness to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture blaring from the city’s speakers and a building exploding, with fireworks in the sky spelling out “V” within a circle, V’s signature sign. From here, she finds herself swept into V’s life, and her own life takes a series of serious changes. As we mentioned before, the symbolism is huge in this film. Take V’s sign, the V inside a circle. V, who blows up historical buildings as a sign, not because he doesn’t like the buildings, but because he wants to make a point, can be seen as a sort of anarchist. The anarchist’s is remarkably similar to V’s sign, which shows an accurate comparison between the two. At another point in the film, Evey is freed in more way than one, and celebrates being outside in a torrential downpour, raising her arms in the air in happiness. This reaction is contrasted to V’s earlier freedom, in the form of flashbacks from V, where he stands surrounded in flames, raising his arms in the air and shouting his rage at the world. The contrast of red, burning fire and blue, cleansing rain, the contrast of pain and pleasure serves to demonstrate the difference between V’s release into the world, a release filled with pain and resulting in a permanent vendetta, and Evey’s release into the world, a blissful expose to the outside again.
V for Vendetta is an action thriller which takes place in not-so-distant future London. Originally planned for release on November 5th, 2005, its release was postponed until March 17, 2006 because some of the movie’s scenes were considered topically inappropriate due to a series of bombings which took place in London earlier in the year. Starring Hugo Weaving as the perpetually masked, revenge-driven protagonist “V” and Natalie Portman as a Evey, a somewhat rebellious young woman, the film shows a totalitarian future London, where curfew is enforced late at night and the now-fascist government is rife with corruption. Throughout the (admittedly somewhat predictable) story, we are subject to countless symbolic themes, shown often by high quality acting from Weaving and Portman.
It is not often that a big-budget film incorporates a faceless protagonist. In fact, it’s not often that any movies star a character without a face. Besides the obvious issue of having viewers relate to a mask, the perhaps larger obstacle to overcome is conveying emotion and attitude, something which Hugo Weaving excels at. In the earliest minutes of the movie, we are introduced to V, and it is no small introduction. After brutally defeating some less-than-savory curfew enforcers, intent on taking advantage of Evey, he delivers a self-described “vichyssoise of verbiage” filled with alliteration and enthusiastic idiolect. For a man with no visible face, V expresses his feelings exceptionally well. Natalie Portman, herself, is no stranger to excellent acting. It is from her perspective that we view a large part of the narrative, and due to her ability to convey thoughts and emotions that we understand the various scenarios in which she is put as well as we do. She allows the viewer to see Evey as the strong character that she is, and the film is infinitely better for it. Of course, excellent acting means next to nothing without a good story to tell.
A story which is, of course, filled with symbolism. Keep in mind, this is not a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact, it makes the movie better. A quick synopsis of the plot: London is now ruled by a fascist government, in a very “dystopian future of oppression” way. Evey is out after curfew, and is assaulted by the future officers of the law, who certainly don’t have her best interests in mind. It is through this that she meets V, a vigilante freedom fighter who wears a Guy Fawkes mask all the time. He invites her onto a rooftop, where she bears witness to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture blaring from the city’s speakers and a building exploding, with fireworks in the sky spelling out “V” within a circle, V’s signature sign. From here, she finds herself swept into V’s life, and her own life takes a series of serious changes. As we mentioned before, the symbolism is huge in this film. Take V’s sign, the V inside a circle. V, who blows up historical buildings as a sign, not because he doesn’t like the buildings, but because he wants to make a point, can be seen as a sort of anarchist. The anarchist’s is remarkably similar to V’s sign, which shows an accurate comparison between the two. At another point in the film, Evey is freed in more way than one, and celebrates being outside in a torrential downpour, raising her arms in the air in happiness. This reaction is contrasted to V’s earlier freedom, in the form of flashbacks from V, where he stands surrounded in flames, raising his arms in the air and shouting his rage at the world. The contrast of red, burning fire and blue, cleansing rain, the contrast of pain and pleasure serves to demonstrate the difference between V’s release into the world, a release filled with pain and resulting in a permanent vendetta, and Evey’s release into the world, a blissful expose to the outside again.
Overall, these aspects of the film make it very effective: it forces the viewer to question their beliefs regarding their own government. The superb acting and engaging story allow the viewer to place themselves into the scenes next to V or Evey. Now, more than ever, as personal security in the United States is brought into question and there are revolts in other parts of the world, it is important to “remember, remember, the 5th of November.”
Zakee Jones
“Ideas are bulletproof” is of my favorite quotes used in V for Vendetta. It comes to the conclusion that the one thing about Ideals are that they can't cannot be shot down or killed they last as long as thought of it still exist.This is not a superhero movie or even mystery themed typed movie. V for Vendetta is an ideal uncompromising movie that at times keeps watchers on their edge of their seat.
V for Vendetta tells the story of a England government that is corrupted in so many ways that a man named V set out to destroy the current government and let the people build it however they see it. V once stated that "people should not fear their government, Government should fear people". What V was trying to say is that government is created by people, without the people it has no meaning.The government’s will is made by the people will so they should never under any circumstance have control over the people. V sees that throughout the whole movie and sets out to destroy it. But he does in a odd way. V takes a woman named Evey under his wing as he sets out on his strategy of governmental destruction. The one thing that I noticed throughout the movie was that during most of V’s schemes he was always viewed as a terrorist by the government throughout the whole movie but the people never once claimed him as anything. He’s a terrorist in a way, but he wasn’t terrorizing the people. Instead, he was trying to awaken and empower of the people but also striking fear in the heart of England’s government.
The tone of the setting in the movie is dark and unique up until about halfway into the movie I feel like I was watching a documentary on America. The whole film just feels like a speech that puts together thoughts on how people should view the world. I think what director James McTeigue is trying to teach us using this movie is that power isn’t just something that only certain people can attain but the thought of the ideal from where it comes from is power. Meaning that if you want to do something in life then do it. But you have to know the risk in doing so. Nothing in this world comes without a price whether it’s big or small. Everyone’s lives are connected one way or another. Change can happen from one person life effecting us all. But whether it’s right or wrong that right for change should always be available to the people because we have the right to know. And that feels like what V for Vendetta was trying to tell me. That I have the power to do what I think is right because ideals are what power really comes from in the first place.
“Ideas are bulletproof” is of my favorite quotes used in V for Vendetta. It comes to the conclusion that the one thing about Ideals are that they can't cannot be shot down or killed they last as long as thought of it still exist.This is not a superhero movie or even mystery themed typed movie. V for Vendetta is an ideal uncompromising movie that at times keeps watchers on their edge of their seat.
V for Vendetta tells the story of a England government that is corrupted in so many ways that a man named V set out to destroy the current government and let the people build it however they see it. V once stated that "people should not fear their government, Government should fear people". What V was trying to say is that government is created by people, without the people it has no meaning.The government’s will is made by the people will so they should never under any circumstance have control over the people. V sees that throughout the whole movie and sets out to destroy it. But he does in a odd way. V takes a woman named Evey under his wing as he sets out on his strategy of governmental destruction. The one thing that I noticed throughout the movie was that during most of V’s schemes he was always viewed as a terrorist by the government throughout the whole movie but the people never once claimed him as anything. He’s a terrorist in a way, but he wasn’t terrorizing the people. Instead, he was trying to awaken and empower of the people but also striking fear in the heart of England’s government.
The tone of the setting in the movie is dark and unique up until about halfway into the movie I feel like I was watching a documentary on America. The whole film just feels like a speech that puts together thoughts on how people should view the world. I think what director James McTeigue is trying to teach us using this movie is that power isn’t just something that only certain people can attain but the thought of the ideal from where it comes from is power. Meaning that if you want to do something in life then do it. But you have to know the risk in doing so. Nothing in this world comes without a price whether it’s big or small. Everyone’s lives are connected one way or another. Change can happen from one person life effecting us all. But whether it’s right or wrong that right for change should always be available to the people because we have the right to know. And that feels like what V for Vendetta was trying to tell me. That I have the power to do what I think is right because ideals are what power really comes from in the first place.