V for Vendetta

Ok, all the activity in local blogs regarding V for Vendetta has given me the need to write a review for it, and hand out my two cents. I'm glad it's been a month or so since I've seen it, because it has given me more time to contemplate it. Let me start out by saying that I'm a big, big fan of Alan Moore. I have been since I rediscovered comics back in high school, and he's hands down one of my favorite writers in any medium. Watchmen, his Swamp Thing, and V for Vendetta are watershed moments in the 80's comics renaissance , and his recent work on Top 10, Tom Strong, Promethea, and other books have been equally strong. He is a very private and guarded man, as is evidenced by his absence from conventions since the release of Watchmen, and his seemingly frequent spats with DC Comics over issues of creative control. One can hardly blame him for being a bit skittish. I can only imagine that he's trying not to think of the extremely truncation of Watchmen that's forthcoming, thanks to David Hayter.
Now, on to the film itself: Masked dissident befriends young girl in quasi-fascist state, wackiness ensues, etc, etc, etc. I wasn't bored when I was watching V for Vendetta........but I found the second half a bit more engaging than the first. Hugo Weaving does a pretty great job as the enigmatic V, and Natalie Portman leaves a lot to be desired with her sketchy "British" accent. They got an unknown to play Superman, are casting calls in the UK really that out of the question? I know, I know, they need a "name". Other casting? John Hurt is serviceable enough, Ben Miles is bound to be distracting as hell to anybody who's ever seen "Coupling"(the original British version), and Stephen Fry is, well, he's ok. Not much of a stretch for him, I'm afraid.
V for Vendetta pleasantly surprised me with the stuff that they were able to leave in. Veronica's note. The pedophile priest. I'd say the story was about 60% accurate in the stuff that they kept completely intact. There was a lot of stuff I missed, though, even though it was hinted at. Prothero's dolls. Storm Saxon. I think Storm Saxon is important, because it shows just how far gone the government is. The original ending (I won't spoil it.......V still dies, but......just get the book out of the library. You'll find it interesting.) V quoting "Sympathy for the Devil" at the Bishop and taking his hat off to reveal little devil horns on his mask. Just little flourishes. The one great addition to the film is a sequence that is a loving tribute to the Benny Hill Show. The absence of more British things makes the feel veer off course, like an American's idea of England, which is probably what the film is, really.
Let me reiterate that I think the Wachowski Brothers are *&^%ing idiots. The Matrix was a phenomenal film, The Matrix Reloaded much less so, The Matrix Revolutions a master class in How Not to Edit A Film, and How to Plot With As Many Story Holes As Humanly Possible. I think this film is a bit better than The Matrix Revolutions. I enjoyed it more than King Kong, anyway. The politics are completely screwed, another reason Moore backed away slowly, so to speak. The government in the film V are like that playground bully that beats you up every day during recess. The government in the novel is like that guy who raped your sister and cut her ear off. Yes, they're bad but not as bad as they should be. But I thought the movie worked as a popcorn version of warring radical politics. Should you see it? I can't think of a reason why not. It's engaging enough, at least on first viewing, and you might be prompted to learn more about stuff like media bias, crappy governments, etc. But I can't say that it's a modern-day classic. Somebody must like it, because it's number 192 on the IMDB top 250.

I give V for Vendetta 5 out of 10 dynamite sticks, or a 8 on the 22 scale.

This entry was fueled by the hum of Radiographic equipment.