Written by the famed Wachowski brothers, who were behind the Matrix films, and directed by James McTeigue, who worked closely with them on the trilogy, V for Vendetta presents us with a sobering view of the world of 2020 that accordingly shares quite a bit with the world of The Matrix.
The movie opens with young Londoner Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) sneaking out after a government-enforced curfew. It seems that the world of 2020 has developed into a place where disaster and disharmony are familiar and just around the corner.
The United States has disintegrated into a third-world country wracked with civil war and disease. While England certainly seems more orderly, it is plagued by an oppressive government under the command of the domineering, Hitler-like tyrant Adam Sutler (John Hurt).
When Evey is being harassed by corrupt policemen, a mysterious masked man, known only as V (Hugo Weaving), comes to her rescue. He then escorts her to a rooftop to watch as he celebrates the eve of Guy Fawkes Day (Nov. 5) by destroying Old Bailey, London’s renowned court house. V, who has had extensive experience with the government’s sinister underbelly, has plans to destroy the Parliament in the tradition of Guy Fawkes, who attempted the same feat in 1605.
The remainder of the movie covers the next 12 months, during which V continues to exact his violent revenge against the corrupt and controlling government by killing influential members of “the Party.” Evey eventually becomes V’s companion, and comparisons to a certain phantom and his young love become unavoidable.
V’s exploits don’t go unnoticed. Sutler appears, barking orders from a giant screen to a small group of police. The government goes to great lengths to hide V’s rebellious activities, including falsified reports on the government-controlled television station. A task force of policemen stays one step behind V, who has been labeled a terrorist, but manages to uncover some of the truth behind his vengeance, and their government’s corruption.
While V for Vendetta certainly presents intriguing themes (the dangers of a government’s complete domination over its people, the importance of rebellion in the face of such tyranny), they are often muddled up in cluttered dialogue and a confusing storyline.
V’s mask does little to help the situation. Portman gives an energetic performance, but Weaving is forced to perform a two-hour voice over. His dialogue and movement are lively, but without facial expression, his performance lacks needed substance.
V for Vendetta’s strength lies in the important and topical questions it raises. It proves to be entertaining and, in many respects, fascinating as the themes of such classic works as 1984 and the Matrix movies are revisited.
It is interesting to note that while Vendetta was adapted from a graphic novel written by Alan Moore nearly 20 years ago, its ideas are all the more engrossing in the world after September 11. Watching as V blows up famous parts of the London skyline will surely find new resonance today. The movie forces viewers to consider whether or not terrorist tactics are justified if they might lead the way out of oppression. V openly endorses violence as an effective way to raise support and achieve goals, saying at one point that blowing up a building can change the world for the better. Given this and many more intriguing parallels with the present day, viewers leaving this movie will have no shortage of things to talk about.
However, V for Vendetta’s dizzying plot twists are not for the faint of heart. This is not a movie to be watched casually, but to be fully digested and analyzed. Be prepared to work your way through this one, but it is worth the effort.
