V For Vendetta
Directed by: James McTeigue
Rated PG
132 Minutes
Review by Giraldo Barraza
I’ll start by saying this; V For Vendetta has gargantuan balls. It seems studio pictures are capable of surprising me, after all. Before it was filmed, I imagine this film was intended to be another exploitation of comic book property, milking the counter-culture crowd. I thought it was likely made in hopes that we view it as a mere “popcorn” action movie and that we’ll flock to buy shirts at Hot Topic. Perhaps the studio hoped that we would wear this fictional revolutionary the way millions had been made on Che Guevara merchandise. But a funny thing happened on the way to the mall cineplex; a truly groundbreaking film was made, one that is entertaining and genuinely thought-provoking. In much the same way that Fight Club blew me away several years ago, V For Vendetta is a achievement. The film is entertainment that seems dangerous. This tale leads us into the underground of a subjugated Britain, and presses all the right buttons along the way. Many will label this film irresponsible, perhaps a few will find it deplorable, but the fact remains that this will illicit a response. As powerful as Sex Pistols lyrics, Vendetta is an open call for reform by way of anarchy.
A great deal of debate will be centered on the allegory of the future society depicted in the film. Many will see it as a thinly veiled attack on the current brand of injustice personified by the Bush administration, but the truth is this story was written over 20 years ago. It is a comic book adaptation by acclaimed writer Alan Moore, and the inspiration clearly lies in Orwellian themes and Nazi Germany. The totalitarian government has corrupted its power by promising security, and exploits the media’s credibility to broadcast the “official version” of the truth. It is spooky to think that this work of fiction can be so easily applied to parallels in our own society. It is not a true allegory for these troubled times we live in, but as they say, “If the shoe fits...” And it is this parallel that makes the story fascinating and frightening.
Vendetta is a comic book movie in that it has a bleak view of the future, a heroine, and a masked crusader. But here, the crusader (known only as “V”) doesn’t just hope to strike fear in criminals. He wants to save the world by burning it to the ground. To those with pre-existing anti-social tendencies, this is an easy sell. But what makes the film seem dangerous is that to the rest of the audience, V makes a damn convincing argument for his cause. His charm is disarming and even seductive when compared to the destruction and horror he is capable of. V is played by Hugo Weaving in a performance that is virtually faceless. Although the mask renders him devoid of facial expressions, Weaving’s body language and vocal inflection infuse the character with rich character and emotion. We can see how passionate he is, and we get glimpses of how crazy he just may be. V is methodical, intelligent, and hungry to correct the injustices of a corrupt government. Like Bruce Wayne in last year’s Batman Begins, V realizes that the visage is but a symbol, and his theatrical campaign of violence speaks louder than words. In many ways, the film is a propaganda poster, and V wants you for his revolution.
The film also reaffirms that Natalie Portman is the single best young actress working today. I admit it was odd at first seeing her with a British accent in a role that seemed so pedestrian. More than once, the thought occurred to me that the producers should have just cast Keira Knightly and saved themselves the trouble. But halfway into the story, Portman’s character suffers dehumanizing and brutal trials that strip her of everything but her indignation. And once the makeup is gone and the hair is shaved, Portman is free to give a heartbreakingly human performance. When she emerges from her hell to be baptized by raindrops, we believe her metamorphosis.
In opposition to our renegade crusader, the other masked entity in this tale is the very government that draws V’s ire. Hiding behind words like “valor” and “unity,” this dictatorship is just as horrific as the “terrorist” they seek to apprehend. John Hurt plays the chancellor as a frightened, neo-conservative egomaniac who is only capable of knee-jerk reactions in times of crisis. Alas, the tragedy is that this “decision-making” style likely brought his regime to power to begin with. Clearly, the focus of their will is not the welfare of the people, but the preservation of their grip on power. Freedoms give way to a safe society, and choice is taken away because those that deviate from the norm are not just ostracized, but forbidden. The Hitler metaphor with the chancellor is apparent, from Hurt’s hairstyle to the expressive political speeches draped in ebony and scarlet. Subtle touches like manically dilated pupils hint at a far more disturbed individual behind his mask of normalcy. His paranoia and fear trickle into the bloodstream of the body of government. Cover ups are the norm, conspiracy a part of daily life. Their fear runs so deep that they continuously try to suppress the investigation of one of their own. As a jaded investigator enlisted to find the “terrorist,” Stephen Rea is perfectly cast, and we see the unraveling mystery through his eyes.
V’s balance between righteousness and madness is a fine line with no clear border. When we first meet him and witness his hand at destruction, it is truly unnerving and appalling. But we learn that V’s mission is not just a vendetta against those who personally wronged him, but to wake us from our slumber. He hopes to slap us from our sedated state, one devoid of choice and obedient to those we entrust. The film pulls no punches, and even contains a sequence where V uses a television broadcast by to chastise them for succumbing to fear. His scolds ring true. The common denominator in any free society that yields to totalitarian is that they willfully traded real freedoms for a false sense of security. Feeling frustration with this system, the public is manipulated by tools of opposing forces. Their instruments are guile and language, V’s is simply violence. The film cautiously reminds us that eventually, all the dominos will fall.
Vendetta is an orchestra of mayhem. It builds to a crescendo of Tchaikovsky-inspired destruction. The dichotomy of the violence (and the film itself) is overwhelming, both appalling and beautifully liberating. It is chilling and yet inspiring to think that one violent act can change the world. Tragedy is not limited to any one polarizing event, but is encompassed by the cycle of fear that continuously feeds it. Terrorism is but a label used by those who are at a loss to explain any action that is contrary, yet validated. In times of fear, people will harden their hearts in a shell, and entire societies can encase their liberties inside a locked box to protect it from harm. In the end, our souls and our freedoms are also inside this box, and the crime is to not release it. It is up to us to decide whether to unlock it with our heart’s key, or blow it all to hell.
