| V FOR VENDETTA |
 2005 - USA / GermanyDirector: James McTeigue
- Reviewed by Vickie
Anyway, I digress. V for Vendetta tells the story of how actress Natalie Portman invoked the spirit of Demi Moore and shaved her head for a role. Okay, not really, but based on the pre-release hype for the film, you’d think that was actually true. Instead, Portman plays Evey, an employee at a British TV network in the not-so-distant future, when England has been taken over by a totalitarian government led by a creepy, wrinkly, megalomaniacal chap named Sutler (John Hurt). Not unlike Hitler, he makes the militaristic rules, under the guise of maintaining national security and ensuring the well-being of his citizens, and Londoners are forced to comply or risk the unpleasant consequences of defying authority. Amid the regimented masses exists V (Hugo Weaving), a charming, swashbuckling hero, who wears an initially-creepy-but-eventually-non-creepy Guy Fawkes mask and who’s determined to reveal the government’s lies—of the past and the present—and liberate a nation by making the parliament buildings blow up real good. When he crosses paths with Evey one fateful night, their worlds become intertwined and, though anxious at the outset, she becomes his most loyal ally as they evade authorities (Stephen Rea, Rupert Graves) and attempt to put their terrorist-inspired plans in motion. Directed by James McTeigue and written by the Wachowski brothers, V has all the earmarks of a fanboy’s dream: a hot lead actress (often clad in revealing outfits), lots of action, characters raging against (an admittedly corrupt) authority, some lesbian love, more action and really cool visuals. It’s obvious that those involved in the production have a great affection for the comic on which the film is based, and it’s terrifically stylish. Kudos to the production designers. Portman, shaved head or not, makes for an impressive—if waify—heroine, but what she might lack in girth she more than makes up for in chutzpah. Her Evey starts out kind of frail, emotionally and physically, but turns herself into a lean, mean, shorn-headed machine faster than you can say “pass the clippers.” Equally important is Weaving, whose face is always hidden by the mask, but who nonetheless manages to evoke empathy and sympathy from the audience using nothing more than his voice. Forget facial expressions; Weaving’s entire performance is cemented in his vocal chords. Like Vincent and Catherine on TV’s Beauty and the Beast, V and Evey forge a powerful friendship that adds unexpectedly poignant layers to their story. But that story is also sometimes hard to follow and executed in an awkwardly choppy manner. It jumps back and forth in time and, even when all is said and done, it leaves questions unanswered. More than once I found myself trying to figure out exactly who was whom and why certain characters were or weren’t allied with the forces of good or evil. See? Even this paragraph is tough to decipher. And I’m not entirely sold on the climactic finale, both logistically and cinematically. Whatever, nevermind. Don’t bother trying to unravel what the heck I’m getting at… just head out to the theater and see for yourself. And tell ‘em this V sent you. |
| Home | Currently Playing | For Rent | Video Obsession ©2006 Moviepie e-mail us |
You know I’m secretly calling this film V for Victoria, right?
And that, in general, I’m going to be biased to any movie that boasts
the first initial of my name as part of its title. When they release
L for Litigious or J for Jazzhands, I’m sure Linda and
Jennifer will do the same.
