I saw V for Vendetta......
I went and saw V for Vendetta the other day. It was, as I had been told, a very good film. A very good propaganda film. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It is good film, very interesting, captivating even. But propaganda.
I won’t spoil the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it but it is about what happens when people give up freedom for security. It delves into the depths of political depravity and corruption. The hero is an anonymous victim of the government who has become an avenger. A poetic, lyrical, homicidal loon but an avenger and a fighter for all that is good and pure. A fanatic willing to do whatever it takes to bring down the corrupt government. And his at first unwilling accomplice, Evie. Natalie Portman does a very good job playing this girl. She is at first saved by the avenger, then used by him. Then there is a plot twist I will not delve into yet but it demonstrates the absolute inhumanity of V’s obsession with revenge.
It is hard to write this without giving away the plot. I may decide it is worth it to blow the story but not yet. The villain of course is a conservative Christian fanatic who is willing to do whatever he has to in order to take power. He is a hypocrite, as of course is the other “Christian”, a bishop of the church of England, depicted in the show. In fact eh only good and noble people depicted in the show are a homosexual TV show host, Evie, and a dead woman whose letters are used by V to influence Evie. Wait, there is a police investigator who investigates what is going on and is willing to look into the secrets of the government. Then of course there are the common folk of England who all seem eminently unflappable and brimming with common sense. (I somehow suspect that the writer of the original graphic novel is English) America is pretty much out of the story, we have collapsed into civil war and anarchy.
I guess what bothers me about this film is the protagonist V. He is a terrorist and a killer. Or a freedom fighter, after all, one mans’ terrorist and all that. People I know speak of the film and view V as a hero, a man to emulate. But you know, I have talked to people like him. People with the same tone to their voice, the same certainty in their actions, I would say the same look in their eyes but you never see V’s eyes. Who are these people that have that surety of purpose? Taliban and Al Queda extremists who are talking about how they need to destroy western civilization, to free mankind from our corrupt and destroying influence.
So I guess I have a problem with the film. I liked it, I might buy it when it comes out on DVD but V is not the man to emulate.
Go, watch it, tell me what you think.
I won’t spoil the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it but it is about what happens when people give up freedom for security. It delves into the depths of political depravity and corruption. The hero is an anonymous victim of the government who has become an avenger. A poetic, lyrical, homicidal loon but an avenger and a fighter for all that is good and pure. A fanatic willing to do whatever it takes to bring down the corrupt government. And his at first unwilling accomplice, Evie. Natalie Portman does a very good job playing this girl. She is at first saved by the avenger, then used by him. Then there is a plot twist I will not delve into yet but it demonstrates the absolute inhumanity of V’s obsession with revenge.
It is hard to write this without giving away the plot. I may decide it is worth it to blow the story but not yet. The villain of course is a conservative Christian fanatic who is willing to do whatever he has to in order to take power. He is a hypocrite, as of course is the other “Christian”, a bishop of the church of England, depicted in the show. In fact eh only good and noble people depicted in the show are a homosexual TV show host, Evie, and a dead woman whose letters are used by V to influence Evie. Wait, there is a police investigator who investigates what is going on and is willing to look into the secrets of the government. Then of course there are the common folk of England who all seem eminently unflappable and brimming with common sense. (I somehow suspect that the writer of the original graphic novel is English) America is pretty much out of the story, we have collapsed into civil war and anarchy.
I guess what bothers me about this film is the protagonist V. He is a terrorist and a killer. Or a freedom fighter, after all, one mans’ terrorist and all that. People I know speak of the film and view V as a hero, a man to emulate. But you know, I have talked to people like him. People with the same tone to their voice, the same certainty in their actions, I would say the same look in their eyes but you never see V’s eyes. Who are these people that have that surety of purpose? Taliban and Al Queda extremists who are talking about how they need to destroy western civilization, to free mankind from our corrupt and destroying influence.
So I guess I have a problem with the film. I liked it, I might buy it when it comes out on DVD but V is not the man to emulate.
Go, watch it, tell me what you think.
posted by exMI | 08:10
9 Comments:
I somehow suspect that the writer of the original graphic novel is English)
Yes. Alan Moore is from Northampton, England.
The original V for Vendetta came out beginning in 1983 and finished in 1986 or later (after "Watchmen").
The film is fairly faithful to the original book. So while it's easy to read as propaganda about the current administration, it's interesting to recall it's really 20 years old. So either Moore is prescient, or (more likely) the story simply deals with fairly universal questions, which happen to be relevant today. One of those questions is exactly the one you point out -- can you condone a "freedom fighter" like V and his methods, just because you agree with his ideals?
The film version no doubt got greenlighted because of its perceived current relevance, combined with Hollywood's current trend of mining the Marvel and DC back catalogues for movie ideas.
Interesting comments. It seems like a movie that you either like it or hate it, but definetly needs to be deconstructed. You might have to come to your own conclusions too.
I haven't been to the show in a while, but I always watch Ebert and Roeper and, like a sheep, I listen to what they say. 2 thumbs down? I'll most likely pass it up or catch it on DVD. Yep, they influence my movie decisions. lol. They gave this 2 thumbs up, so I'm gonna check it out.
mike. (welcome) gunngirl ddid note that E/R gave it two thumbs up, re read the end of her post.
I must say anonymous has been giving alot of insightful comments the last several posts. Nice to have (him/her/them) here.
GG, when you have seen it let us know what you think.
I saw and enjoyed this film though you are correct that V is a total nutjob. I suspect that many will take it as a warning against the religious right. I saw it as a warning against anyone or any group that wishes to control speech in order to "protect" us or to prevent anyone from being offended. As one who works in higher education events such as the one at NYU yesterday are becoming more and more frequent and more and more troubling.
Ex-MI,
Are you just as disturbed by President Bush's surety of rightness and willingness to kill in order to achieve aims?
One man's freedom leader, is another man's terrorist?
Thanks for commenting on my student's response to V (at Aesthetics and Politics of Film)
Frankly Michael yes, Bush does worry me. so much so that I didn't vote for him the second time around. Although I will grant you he bothers me alot more on domestic issues than he does on foreign policy.
MM, the protection against offense that seems so prevalent in our country today is a plauge. I will grant you that. I don't see that as an issue in this film at all though. Definately a call agaisnt anyone who says we need to sacrifice some freedoms for security though.
Well, the rise of the "fascist" government was based around the premise that governmental control of information was necessary to "protect" the populace. That it was a right wing government that excluded homosexuals and nonChristial materials is not the only possible source for such a power play. It could just as easily be centered around the secular humanism and cultural relativism of the left.
It is the restriction of access to information that is the danger. No matter who is creating the restrictions.
That I will agree with.
I'll write a review when I get around to seeing it. Still haven't seen it. Nice review though.
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