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V for Vendetta
Freedom! Forever!
Who is the man who hides his scarred face behind a mask? Hero or madman? Liberator or oppressor? Who is V - and who will join him in his daring plot to destroy the totalitarian regime that dominates his nation?
From the creators of The Matrix trilogy comes V For Vendetta, an arresting and uncompromising vision of the future based on the powerfully subversive graphic novel. Natalie Portman stars as Evey, a working-class girl who must determine if her hero has become the very menace he's fighting against. Hugo Weaving plays V - a bold, charismatic freedom fighter driven to exact revenge on those who disfigured him. And Stephen Rea portrays the detective leading a desperate quest to capture V before he ignites a revolution. The stakes rise. The tension electrifies. The action explodes. Whose side are you on? In V's world, there is no middle ground.
Member Reviews
Loved It! - MFisher
I loved this movie, it was very Orwellian! Natalie Portman was unbelievable. It was incredible to see her transformation from follower to strong woman. I loved the plot as well, I thought it was very interesting and really mirrored events of the past in multiple countries. Definately worth a watch!Very pleasantly surprised! - Winkle
I was reluctant to see this film in the theatre because I am not a big fan of the comic-adapted-to-film genre. Only finally having just rented it, I can't believe I waited so long! I was truly surprised, in the most positive, exciting way. This film conveys the darkness of the dystopic vision without floundering in melodrama or losing its message in a vast array of special effect explosions. Instead, it communicates the true balance between freedom and terrorism, using eloquent language and beautiful close-ups (combined with incredibly competent acting talent). Natalie Portman is an absolute revelation - although by now she has proven the potential first evident in her breakout performance (The Professional), it is a dream to see her in such a charismatic, complex role ... especially after her disappointingly wooden performance in the Star Wars saga.
Hugo Weaving is marvelous - few actors could truly portray such a beautifully flawed human being without resorting to glorifying his cause. Somehow, despite the overall message of the film (which, while making us think about our own personal politics and question the events in our contemporary world, does still glorify terrorism as a reasonable means to an end), Weaving's performance does not excuse V's violent villainy. He is not altogether sympathetic, and though his poetic speeches may tempt one to fall in love with the mere idea of his character's cause, his unforgiving tendency towards extreme solutions (cold-blooded murder, for example) does raise an eyebrow or two.
The supporting cast is fantastic. John Hurt is a marvelous villain! But the best thing about this film is its tendency away from the typical Hollywood ending. Who is this "V", really? This is a question you will ponder long after the credits roll.V is also for Vibrant and Vicious - BlackSheep
“I wish I wasn’t afraid all the time but … I am.” A young lady speaks these words to a man in a mask who has imprisoned her in his home. This time in captivity is the most free she has ever felt. London waits outside these walls, as does her job, her friends and what she calls home. The insides of these walls are lined with art; the room is filled with history, music, colour, life. The mask the man is wearing is a Guy Fawkes mask, in honour of the man who once plotted to blow up the parliament building in London as part of a Catholic plot to overthrow the British government. The man behind the mask, known simply as V, plans to finish what Fawkes started centuries before and blow up parliament in the name of the British people so that they can reclaim the freedoms of life they gave up to their government out of fear years before. While the government and media, naturally controlled by the government, proclaim V a terrorist, V sees himself more as an artist. For V, the artist is one who uses lies to tell the truth while politicians use lies to cover the truth up. The men behind this brave film clearly feel the same as they make a terrorist into a sympathetic protagonist and draw undeniable lines between the ruling British government of V’s world and the current political relationship of the United States government and it’s people. As writers, the Wachowski brothers choose to highlight fear as the motivating factor in people’s lives but go so far as to implicate the government as the major perpetuator of that fear. This is not a fresh accusation but the Wachowski’s go boldly further to accuse the government, fictional or otherwise, of not only maintaining a stronghold on it’s people through fear but originating that fear to begin with, subsequently forcing the people to abandon the original motivating factor in their lives, love.
Member Reviews
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Loved It! - MFisher
I loved this movie, it was very Orwellian! Natalie Portman was unbelievable. It was incredible to see her transformation from follower to strong woman. I loved the plot as well, I thought it was very interesting and really mirrored events of the past in multiple ...Very pleasantly surprised! - Winkle
I was reluctant to see this film in the theatre because I am not a big fan of the comic-adapted-to-film genre. Only finally having just rented it, I can't believe I waited so long! I was truly surprised, in the most positive, exciting way. This film conveys ...V is also for Vibrant and Vicious - BlackSheep
“I wish I wasn’t afraid all the time but … I am.” A young lady speaks these words to a man in a mask who has imprisoned her in his home. This time in captivity is the most free she has ever felt. London waits outside these walls, as does her job, her friends ...