 Movie Review:
V for Vendetta
Director: James McTeigue
Production Company: Warner Brothers.
Cast: Natalie Portman, James Purefoy, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Sinead Cusack
Rating: R for violence, including scenes of torture.
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMCom)—“Explosive” is an apt word to describe the political thriller V for Vendetta, and I wouldn’t just be referring to the main character’s preferred instrument of change. V for Vendetta burst onto the screen with the action and style of great adventure filmmaking. But its theme is what’s most explosive—the eternal struggle for freedom against tyranny. V for Vendetta tackles the subject with urgency and excitement, but floats some intriguing questions as well: Can we embrace a story that portrays the government as the villain and the terrorist as the hero? And if we accept the right of the people to rise up against a repressive regime, can we also accept the violent acts of one man to launch that uprising?
Calling himself simply "V" (HUGO WEAVING), he prowls London, clad in a black costume, cape, and an eerie grinning mask in the likeness of famous British proto-terrorist Guy Fawkes. Copyright © 2006 Warner Bros |
In the year 2020, America has splintered and descended into chaos. Following a bioterrorist attack, England (where our story takes place) has fallen under the grip of a totalitarian regime that has rescinded most civil rights in the name of national security. Media talk show personalities spew hate, nationalism and a stern, narrow strain of Christianity over the airwaves. Undesirables—Muslims, homosexuals, dissidents—are rounded up and “disappeared” by government thugs called “finger men.” Internment camps where government sanctioned torture awaits all those whose actions, words or thoughts do not strictly align with those of the Supreme Chancellor (John Hurt).
By exploiting the public’s fear of terrorism, the Chancellor—who first promised to protect the people—has now built a government that is itself the people’s primary source of fear. Out of this bleak and repressive dystopia rises a dark and deadly dissident who claims, “People should not fear their government. The government should fear its people.” Calling himself simply “V,” he prowls London, clad in a black costume, cape, and an eerie grinning mask in the likeness of famous British proto-terrorist Guy Fawkes. V, played by silky-voiced Hugo Weaving, sets out to expose the truth behind the government’s role in that bioterrorist attack and to stir the numbed and dumbed-down citizens into revolt. His grand gesture will be to try to succeed where Guy Fawkes failed and blow up the Parliament building on November 5.
V’s plan to expose the role of the government in a bioterrorist attack is complicated when he rescues a young woman, Evie (NATALIE PORTMAN), who is about to be raped by some government finger men for violating curfew. Copyright © 2006 Warner Bros |
V’s plan is complicated when he rescues a young woman, Evey (Natalie Portman), who is about to be raped by some government finger men for violating curfew. After this, V and Evey’s lives become intertwined as she first fears then accepts him, betrays him, and finally joins him as he plots his November revolution.
V for Vendetta, scripted by the Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix) and based on the politically charged graphic novel by British writer Alan Moore, is a largely successful amalgam of other familiar sources. It starts out like Batman plunged into the world of George Orwell’s 1984, but by the end, owes a heavy debt to the Phantom of the Opera. Rather than feeling derivative, these familiar elements imbue an automatic iconic power to V and his outwardly sinister acts of blowing up buildings and terrorizing a government that has become a terror to its own cowed citizens.
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| The lives of V (HUGO WEAVING) and Evie (NATALIE PORTMAN) become intertwined as she first fears then accepts him, betrays him, and finally joins in his plans for a November revolution. Copyright © 2006 Warner Bros |
Before anyone thinks this film is an anti-Bush screed, be aware that Moore wrote the original graphic novel 18 years ago as an indictment of the hard-right leanings of Margaret Thatcher’s Britain. In fact, because it owes so much to Orwell’s 1984, V for Vendetta is best seen as a cautionary tale about how power corrupts and how easily the will of the people can be broken—once they are convinced their government is protecting them from some shadowy, but ever-present, threat. Of course, similarities could be drawn between events in the film and current U.S. climate—the Patriot Act, domestic spying and what has now been dubbed “the long war,” against terrorism (all represented in some form in the film).
It is also a film about crossing lines—lines that, once crossed, turn something into its polar opposite. For example, where is the line that divides a freedom fighter from a terrorist? At what point does government protection become enslavement? Where is the line between truth and propaganda? When should conscience override obedience? At what point does a citizenry slip from patriotism to blind, bigoted nationalism? Is V a hero, madman, defender of liberty, or seeker of vengeance? V for Vendetta is a challenging film, with violence and wrongdoing on both sides. But it’s rich in ideas, human emotion and a thrilling ride.
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Study Questions
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Was it rational for V to torture Evey to strip her of her fear? Do you believe he could love her and still have treated her like that? Why or why not?
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Do you think violence is a justifiable means for social change? Did the situations in the film justify it? Were V’s actions contrary to Christian beliefs?
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Do you think V was out to change an oppressive regime, or was he seeking personal revenge? Could it have been both?
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Have you ever read George Orwell’s novel, 1984? If so, did you see similarities to this film? Did this film have a “happy ending?”
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What did you think of the arrest and imprisonment of homosexuals, Muslims and dissidents?
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Do you consider V a terrorist? Why or why not? How would you describe him?
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The TV personality Prothero, called “the voice of England,” claimed to be a Christian. Do you think he was? What would make you think he wasn’t? (see Eph. 4:29-32)
V said “People should not fear their government; the government should fear its people.” Discuss the meaning and implications of this statement. Do you agree with its message? Why or why not?
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Discuss whether one should be obedient to the government, even when the government does things one finds morally objectionable. What are some actions—particularly non-violent ones—that one can take to express disagreement with governmental policies?
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Did it make you uncomfortable when V blew up buildings? Explain your view.
Study Questions
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Truth and Fiction: Although a work of fiction, V for Vendetta deals with themes of power, corruption and rebellion—themes that have been played out through the ages. In this exercise, have your group identify where these themes are still playing out today. To prepare, bring to your group meeting recent newspapers, news magazines and other publications that report the news, and a supply of scissors. You may also have a computer with an internet access available and a printer. Divide your group into small teams and ask them to cut out any stories they find that remind them of the world of V for Vendetta. Remind them to be open to spotting these themes in both domestic and international stories. After a set period, ask each team to share what they found with the rest of the group, and discuss why they felt these stories related to the film.
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Behind the Mask: In the film, V says that persons can spend so much time behind a mask that they forget who they really are. This will be an arts and crafts project to create a mask. Supplies needed include paper plates, string, scissors and drawing/painting supplies. Ask each member of your group to create his or her own mask using a paper plate and string. Ask members to create masks that represent someone they would like to be. It could be a personal hero, someone from the Bible, history or a family member. After finishing, ask each member of your group to don his or her mask and describe who the mask represents. Why did they choose that person? How did the world look from behind a mask? How did they feel? Finally, discuss the “masks” we wear in our daily lives. When are we not true to ourselves, our beliefs or commitments? When is it important to remove our masks?
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Jesus, a Revolutionary? V used violence and acts of destruction to change his world. Jesus also changed the world. Although he had infinite power at his disposal, he chose to use love, wisdom and ideas to change the world rather than violence or coercion. Discuss how V and Jesus were different. How were they alike? Was Jesus political? Was the first century world under Roman rule at all like the world in the film? Finally, as a point of discussion, compare Matthew 26:47-56 and Matthew 10:34-42. Did Jesus contradict himself? How can this be reconciled?
Resources
Official V for Vendetta Web site
History of Gunpowder Plot
Wikipedia article on Guy Fawkes
Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime
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