I liked the filmed version of V FOR VENDETTA better than the comic. The comic felt like an overhyped revolt against Thatcherism, while the film makes the story more universal. While it gets in its digs at the Bush administration, the film feels more of piece with works like 1984, works which transcend the time in which they were created.
Here’s the setup: we’re in England, and things have gone sour. It’s roughly ten years after a political shift that ushered in an authoritarian government, but still thirty years or so before the system gets so entrenched that we’d be in the world of a 1984. Big Brother is everywhere, but the tvs still only go one way, if you will.
V4V asks the question, “What if someone rebelled before Big Brother could really get his hooks into everything?” In this case, that someone is an anonymous gent in a Guy Fawkes costume, a gent who was wronged by this regime and has taken is time, a la Edmond Dantes, to construct the perfect revenge. His plan? To move the people of England to rise up against their oppressors.
How he executes his plan, and how his actions affect those around him, I’ll leave for the viewer. Right now, I’m more concerned with how well the film executes its intentions; I’m happy to report that it does so quite well. Natalie Portman, the audience surrogate, reminds us that yes, she can actually act quite well. Hugo Weaving as the guy in the Fawkes costume, joins Willem Dafoe in the limited club of guys who can emote even when their face is hidden. John Hurt, who played Winston Smith in the filmed version of 1984, is a marvelous Big Brother, and the remainder of the supporting cast (including favorites Stephen Rea and Stephen Fry) also turns in professional work, without a single performance that pulls one out of the moment. The film looks slick, professional, and seamless. I bought everything it showed me, and I enjoyed the ride.
I picked up V4V on a whim – it was sitting right there on a counter at the library, and I knew I’d have a little free time coming up. I’m glad I did. V FOR VENDETTA turned to be pretty good.
1 comment:
I differ from you in that I like the comic better then the Movie.
But that does not mean I disliked the film. I really enjoyed it and actually and thought they did a pretty good job. But to me the book is a lot more powerful and darker which is what I tend to lean too.
Of course the comic was Anti-Thatcher as much as the new one was a jab at the current political scene. Moore grew up in England in a very tense time and his political leanings defiantely made the book very anti-Thatcher. He even takes a jab at her in one of his other works Miracle Man, although briefly.
What I liked about the comic is that V was a agent of Chaos/Change, an anarchist. I did not see him as the Harbringer of democracy, but was going to destroy the country which harmed him and then let it recreate itself for better or worse.To him that was true freedom by giving the people a blank slate.It would be for the better good no matter how much pain and suffering went with it.
The only thing I think they really radically changed in the film was the big finale with the matrix fight scene and the costume party in downtown London.
The Hong Kong action fan liked the fight, but it really did nothing for the character. I hated the costume party, Nothing say Anarchy like everyone dressing the same.
But I know that the comic was a reflection of a different time and things have changed, but I really liked the comic and is one of the books which gave me a early appreciation of comics.
I do not always agree with Mr.Moore's politics, but he is one of the great comic writers and this was one I grew up with.
Again, I still like the film and would gladly watch it again, they for the most part (and as much as they could) got it right.
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