V For Vendetta
Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry and John Hurt
The Verdict: “V” is smarter than most comic book endeavors, but falls flat because of its tired anti-Bush leanings.
2 1/2 out of 4 stars
The title character V doesn’t hold the biggest vendetta in this political comic book flick.
Rather, the Wachowski brothers, who based the screenplay on Alan Moore’s graphic novel, show their need for revenge against neo-conservatism and its accused leader, George W. Bush.
The basic concept of Moore’s comic stays intact: V (Hugo Weaving), a scarred man behind a mask, wants British citizens to remember Nov. 5, the day in 1605 when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament. V intends to complete Fawkes’ failed work in a futuristic and super conservative Britain, and along the way he saves a girl, Evey (Natalie Portman), with gleaming knives in an impressive battle sequence.
But V doesn’t desire destruction without reason. John Hurt plays Chancellor Sutler, the politician behind Britain’s fascist leanings. Showing off his extreme conservative roots, Sutler appears on large television screens and spits out brainwashing slogans to enslave the minds of British citizens. The effect is reminiscent of “Equilibrium,” a sci-fi cult favorite starring Christian Bale.
With a few well-planned acts of anarchism, V hopes to stop the controlling British government for good, while teaching Evey the danger of living in fear.
While the plot seems quite basic, an interesting and convoluted subplot reveals V’s horrific past (think horrible experimenting and white, dead bodies), thanks to the investigation of officer Finch (convincingly played by Stephen Rea).
Using a memorably chanting voice, Weaving thankfully brings more to the film than an emotionless killer behind a Guy Fawkes mask. V strings together his revolutionary words with fancy alliteration and impeccable wit, but don’t let his initial playfulness fool you: he’s still a terrorist with bloody blades and extravagant fireworks on the agenda.
Portman gives a strong performance as Evey, especially in the film’s second-third, the most impressive part of the film. Although Hurt’s character is essential to the story, he doesn’t take over the film by any means. Still, Hurt sticks in your mind with his dirty teeth and stinking voice. The remaining cast members are sufficient, but not particularly noteworthy.
But once you get past the solid acting and fantastic ideas, “V for Vendetta” bleeds stale material. For example, a certain character has an epiphany while in the rain as an overhead camera awkwardly focuses in on CGI drops of rain. Not only has this “dramatic sequence in the rain” idea been used too many times in film (see “The Shawshank Redemption” for one example), but the Wachowski brothers added to the clich‹¨ with rain that looks fake.
The Wachowskis also throw a trite love story in the mix, which fails more horribly than the infamous dance sequence in “The Matrix Reloaded.” Good job, brothers: you managed to out-MTV yourselves.
Admittedly, the action scenes are well done, but the last fight sequence is a mismatch for the movie, notwithstanding the impressive special effects. It’s almost as if the screenwriters got tired of their film’s smart exterior and said, “What would Neo do now?”
The greatest annoyance emanates from the film’s anti-Bush hoedown. In a recent interview with The Beat, Moore said he wrote “V for Vendetta” as a battle between the two most radical political ideologies, fascism and anarchism. He also said he wanted readers to seriously question the morality of V’s revolution.
Frankly, the film messes up Moore’s two good ideas with boring blather. Despite the foreign setting, the story is essentially a clash of American left- and right-wing politics, a heated and overdone battle (does anyone remember “Fahrenheit 9/11?”) Plus, V’s actions may be morally vague for the majority of the film, but by the conclusion he isn’t portrayed as a possibly insane terrorist, but a symbol of neo-liberalism. Blech.
As a comic book movie, “V for Vendetta” soars above stupid competition like “The Fantastic Four,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” and “Daredevil.” But as a political movie, it’s a way for two effects-obsessed film makers to change comic legend Alan Moore’s thoughtful source material into an anti-Bush bonanza.
And because the Wachowskis didn’t actually direct this film, I have only one thing left to say: director James McTeigue is a tool.