V for Vendetta

This afternoon I viewed V for Vendetta, the futuristic thriller based on Alan Moore's 1985 graphic novel and adapted by the Wachowski brothers, creators of The Matrix trilogy. It stars Natalie Portman as Evey, a woman working for the government run TV station and Hugo Weaving as V, the masked vigilante who's goal is to cary out the failed plan of Guy Fawkes.

If you don't know the story of Fawkes, I'm not going to type it for you, but they do address it at the begining of the film. Suffice it to say, he planned to blow up Parlament. Since his time, much has changed. American has become run by Britain again due to unrest, their "war", and a civil war inside the country. Britain itsself has been overrun by a dictatorship and the newly created post if "high chancellor". The government controls all forms of information; tv, radio, newspapers. It also has a "black list" where books, music, movies, and art are banned. It in this environment that V plans to change the government. He uses the very network the government runs to tell the people about the government's wrongs, and his plan to blow up Parlament. It is a heartless plan until he meets Evey, and falls in love with her. her association with V makes her a target as well, but in the end, she sees why V does what he does, and helps him achieve his goals.

Portman is, as always, brilliant. She plays Evey perfectly, vulnerable, yet strong, fearful, yet angry. The scenes in which she are tortured are to be marveled at, for her acting is pure. Weaving is also amazing as V. Although we never see his face, his voice and body language let the audience know exactly what he is feeling and thinking.

The writing is well done. However, be prepared to think. Near the film's begining, V launches into a 3 minutes tirade of alliterations and words that I only know thanks to my Honors English SAT-prep vocabulary. The pacing is very similar to that of The Matrix films, with chuncks of action, followed by large chunks of exposition. The editing is well done, peticuarly in the scene when Chief Inspector Finch realizes what is about to happen. I sat up in my seat amazed by the scene.

Yes, the film does have its politics. I disagree with some (including MSNBC's Joe Scarborough) that the film is "brainwashing". I don't believe I came out of the film wanting to become a terrorist. And in the context of the film, what V is doing is not terrorism, merely what people are supposed to do to change their government. As V says, "People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people." If anything, I came out of the film with a new perspective. It made me thing, and it is always a good think when art inspires conversation. I mean, I'm a republican(although, not a crazy fanatical one) and I really enjoyed the movie and what it had to say. It is not everyday such a movie comes along, that makes people think and question their beliefes, and it is mopst welcome in my opinion.

Overall, a good film. It is gory, so don't take the kids. And if you don't like all the political mumbo jumbo, you can still enjoy a perfectly good action film.