V For Vendetta is a near-future tale of revolution based on a comic book series by Alan Moore. Moore is a strange creation: he looks like Charles Manson and comes off downright misanthropic in interviews, yet writes incredible prose, including the most affectionate, touching Superman story I've ever read. Moore hates what has been done with his work, especially when it comes to Hollywood adaptations. (These include From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.) This time, angered by publicity suggesting that he approved of the movie version of V, he removed his name entirely from the credits and gave away all money he earned from the project.
That's odd, because V For Vendetta is actually quite good. While I haven't read the original, I certainly felt that I could hear Moore's authorial voice coming through, especially in his use of flashbacks and parallel storylines. Stopping by the bookstore on the way home from the theater to confirm a plot point I'd missed when I went to the restroom, I found that while there were changes between the graphic novel and the film, entire scenes appeared to have been lifted verbatim and, unlike The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (a film I enjoyed despite its butchering of Moore's complex work), appeared to get the gist of the overall work.
V is the name of a masked revolutionary who sees himself as the catalyst in the toppling of a totalitarian, right-wing society that has risen up in Britain. Hugo Weaving gives a surprisingly strong performance given that he is never once allowed to remove his mask, and Natalie Portman, free from George Lucas' dialogue, finally seems capable of...well, acting.
The film got somewhat mixed (though overall positive) reviews, but I suspect that the negative notices had more to do with politics than the film's merits. Some folks were uncomfortable with the idea of a terrorist as a heroic figure.
Ratings Guide |
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| Zero | What the hell were they thinking? Even Ed Wood was more entertaining. |
| 1/2 |
Dear God in Heaven. Probable involvement of Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. |
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Seriously shit. Based upon a Saturday Night Live skit. |
| 1/2 |
Mildly crap. Eddie Murphy made another family comedy. |
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It's not good. It's not bad. It's just there. |
| 1/2 |
Has its moments. A bonus half star for a particularly cool robot or perky breast. |
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Solid entertainment. Exploding robots and/or multiple bare breasts. |
| 1/2 |
As good as most movies can hope to achieve. May include full-frontal nudity. |
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Like Mary Poppins herself, practically perfect in every way. |
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