V For Vendetta, James McTeigue, Film Review
A series of film reviews where I give my comments on IMDB Top 250 films as a writer. The idea is that over time these posts will build into a wide-ranging writing resource.
For more details about the approach I've taken, including some important points about its strengths and weaknesses (I make no claims about my abilities as a film critic or even the accuracy of my comments... but I do stand by the value of a writer's notes on another work of art), see my introductory post here.
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS
The combination of comic book adaption and
Britishness is a disaster. Awful
risk-free nonsense from terrorist, V. Perhaps this is the fundamental reason why I hate comic books. The stakes seem lower because there are too many easy get-outs, total fantasy masquerading as semi-reality.
Lots of people saying 'Bloody Hell,' in an English accent, and about four people at a bar standing
in for an entire population.
I'm incapable of giving a 1/10 score to anything staring the divine Natalie Portman – but in a film where everyone's dialogue sounds
weirdly recorded and under-rehearsed, hers is no exception most of the time.
Film seems particularly ridiculous when seen after Battle Of Algiers where you get what real 'righteous' terrorism looks like.
Stephen Fry is unspeakably bad, a disgusting vanity role.
The Nigel Farage-like presenter spouting
hate on the TV had some potential to be memorable, but even this wasn’t properly
realized, with his transition from TV character to real person too sketchy to be convincing.
A ridiculous film to be in anyone's Top 250
list.
Personal Score 2/10
Wow... you really did miss the point of this movie. Marvelous themes of oppression and resistance, a social commentary on fanaticism, isolationism, and elitism. Power without oversight. This movie deals with the best and worst of human nature.
ReplyDeleteThen we have the characters who do what is right (sometimes after their eyes have been opened by outside forces), despite the cost. The hope of humanity resting in obscure places, even when it looks like compassion and empathy have been smothered.
Add in an impressive music score, larger than life theatrical acting, and impressive costume/setting, and I couldn't agree with your score any less.
Hi JW I could hardly fail to miss the point of the film when it was being rammed down my throat the whole time. My aim in the review was to point out the reasons why in my view it was unsuccessful. The number one problem for me was the creation of a semblance if reality while the characters' deeds and motivations were presented with no thoughtt of reality. The scale of V's terrorism and Evey's response to her false imprisonment are just two examples. Another thing I really hated was V acting out the role of benevolent dictator, so beloved of the Right. Although its unrealistic realization glossed over the issues of this idea, its inherent flaws were still apparent ... Arbitrary justice, one man's prejudices swaying his actions etc etc. I could have written a lot more about why I didn't like it but these were just my rough writer's notes
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