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by R.J. Carter Published: July 25, 2006
The political elements of the Wachowski Brothers screenplay have been modernized, but the basic feel of the graphic novel is still there. Which is to say, the film is not a statement about or against the War on Terror in specific, although it could certainly be taken as such. In the world of "V for Vendetta", the United States is embroiled in a civil war, the result of an unpopular overseas war that went on for too long. Coinciding with this, the British government began rounding up certain people -- terrorists, homosexuals, and 'undesirables' -- and interning them in concentration camps, where they became the subject of experiments by a pharmaceutical company to create a new virus (as well as its cure.) When both were developed, a bright lad in the government decided that, rather than use their weapon against the enemy, they could use it on themselves, falsifying a biological terrorist attack that killed nearly 100,000 people. This event paved the way for the people to freely elect a totalitarian conservative government that would enact freedom-restricting laws in the name of protecting the people. Over time, the new High Chancellor (John Hurt, "Hellboy") began outlawing and banning certain movies, music, and books while implementing curfews and having the streets patrolled by his personal militia. The highest rated television show, The Voice of England, is a regular conservative ranting (performed admirably by Roger Allam) that makes The O'Reilly Factor look like Barney & Friends.
"V for Vendetta" brings to mind the new 'old saying', "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Certainly V's methods are the same we've seen employed in the past -- the sending of a message by the destruction of a building (although we're never told if anyone is actually occupying these buildings at the late hours V demolishes them.) But in addition to his large-scale war, V is also fighting a war on smaller, more personal, scale. One by one, prominent party members who were all involved in the cover-up of the St. Mary's Virus are hunted down and assassinated. Chief Inspector Finch (Stephen Rea, "Feardotcom") investigates these leads while simultaneously investigating Evey Hammond's disappearance and her connection to V; his discovery of the cover-up puts him in a dilemma where he finds himself both at odds with the government he serves and the man they've ordered him to bring to justice. Hugo Weaving definitely deserves applause for his flawless performance. Playing a role that offered absolutely no face time, he nonetheless conveys every emotion necessary despite the perpetual grin of the Fawkes mask he wears, and does it finer than nearly any other actor could have. Natalie Portman is equally convincing in her evolution from cipher to revolutionary, while Stephen Rea provides the popular anchor point for the general audience to latch on to as he begins to see a world that's fallen into a state of wrong vs. wrong. The action scenes are certainly visually exciting, exuding all the effects coolness that has become the hallmark of a Wachowski production. A particularly iconic example is the fight scene near the climax of the film as V does battle with one of the party leaders and over half-a-dozen armed gunmen, a choreographed ballet of blood and violence, full of speed blurs and slow liquid splashes. The set, lighting, and costuming all bring to rich life the fascistic world that is very much "1984" with a bigger budget. This 2-Disc Special Edition boasts a number of special features, although there is no commentary track to be had. The first disc contains the feature presentation -- available in English or French with subtitles in English, French and Spanish -- as well as a featurette, "Freedom! Forever!", which is the traditional making-of documentary that most DVD sets provide. Here, Producer Joel Silver, Director James McTeigue and the primary stars comment about the film, about terrorists and why people become them, and what happens when a government pushes its citizens too far. The second disc has another making-of featurette, although more focused on the actual shooting and design of the film, where McTeigue, Owen Paterson and the design crew give insight into such things as the building of V's Shadow Gallery. Natalie Portman also comments on shooting in Berlin, in the same place where so many propaganda films where filmed. Stephen Fry and Roger Allam come in on another featurette, with Portman and British historians, to discuss the actual Guy Fawkes -- a Catholic terrorist in 1605 -- and the Gunpowder Plot that was meant to cast off British oppression of Catholics. The final featurette is about the comic book industry and the "new wave" -- something that regular comics readers have known about since the British Invasion of the industry back in the 1980s. DC Comics staffers Karen Berger and Paul Levitz talk up the history, joined by comics veterans Bill Sienkiewicz, Paul Chadwick, and Geof Darrow. David Lloyd -- the artist on the V for Vendetta graphic novel -- is also interviewed in this (and other) featurettes, and mentions the magician by name here a couple of times. Rounding out the special features is a video by Cat Power, "I Found a Reason", utilizing a montage of scenes from the film, the original theatrical trailer, and an advert blurb for the soundtrack album.
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