V for Vendetta
is a cult classic, a movie I never get tired of watching. I get a regular dose
of V’s antihero journey to bring freedom back to the people as often as I can—a
journey I always cheer him on, wishing the ending wasn’t so tragically
inevitable.
With excellent
cinematography (handled by the late Adrian Biddle, who passed away before the
film’s initial release), V for Vendetta features some of the best dialogue I’ve
heard in a movie in years. The scene where V kills the Bishop—jumping on and
off the roof in slow motion—was masterfully shot and remains my favorite in the
film. A close second is V’s introduction when he first meets Evey Hammond.
The movie is an
adaptation of Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta, a 10-issue comic published by
Vertigo. It follows V, a man disfigured by top government officials who used
people deemed "different"—whether by race, sexuality, or character—as
test subjects for biological weapons. Only one man survived these experiments,
but he was left physically scarred and mentally altered, becoming incredibly
intelligent, strong, and fast. That man, V, set out to take revenge on the
government and those responsible for his suffering. The movie sticks to this
foundational plot, with Hugo Weaving playing V, Natalie Portman as Evey, his
protégé, and Stephen Rea as Detective Finch.
There are
several differences between the movie and the comic. In the comic, Evey is an
insecure prostitute, whereas, in the film, she is a confident young woman. V,
portrayed here as a man with human emotions and a romantic connection with
Evey, is much more ruthless in the comic—void of romantic ties or humanizing
traits. Finch, who softens toward V in the film, was a diehard enforcer in the
comic, completely fixated on capturing him.
The screenplay
was written by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix trilogy), who drew parallels
between V’s story and Edmond Dantès’ in The Count of Monte Cristo. Like Edmond,
V escapes imprisonment and meticulously plots his revenge on those who wronged
him.
Alan Moore,
disappointed with two previous adaptations of his comics (From Hell and The
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), expected this one to flop as well. However,
V for Vendetta turned out to be an average financial success and was well
received, holding a 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Hugo Weaving, best known for playing Agent Smith in the Wachowskis’ Matrix trilogy, delivers a strong performance as V. This is a great film tackling themes of homosexuality, religious criticism, totalitarianism, Islamophobia, and terrorism—a must-watch for all.
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