V for Vendetta excites, but what’s the point?

Amanda Bates Guest Writer

Stories about the future that are actually about the present are not in short supply. The sci-fi film V for Vendetta takes a page from such narratives, presenting a commentary on the current political climate. Despite its entertainment value, though, V for Vendetta is not executed well enough to be as thought-provoking as it aspires to be.

V for Vendetta is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore, but Moore refused credit in the movie due to previous disastrous experiences with Hollywood adaptations of his comics, such as 2003’s unanimously-derided The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Fortunately, V for Vendetta rises above standards set by earlier adaptations, but it is still far from perfect.

James McTeigue directed the film, but the Wachowski brothers of The Matrix fame, who wrote the screenplay and produced V for Vendetta, make their presence felt. The film retains much of the visual and narrative style of The Matrix trilogy, but manages to be more enjoyable than the pretentious and confusing Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions. The Wachowskis have peppered their script with allusions to works like Hamlet, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Scarlet Pimpernel, which add some intellectualism to the movie.

On the other hand, viewers may get a brain overload by the end just from trying to keep track of all the themes and symbols that the screenwriters have managed to pack into the script. The Wachowskis offer numerous themes of varying complexity—from safety and freedom to conformity and censorship—but don’t explore them enough to make a resounding point.
It’s unfortunate that V for Vendetta ultimately lacks a cohesive argument, since in many ways, it succeeds. The plot, most of all, is indeed engaging. The story occurs in Britain in 2020, where a fascist government has gained control. A strict curfew, political slogans, and other Orwellian propaganda are ubiquitous. The title character V is a mysterious, knife-wielding, vigilante terrorist who is determined to take down the government.

Hugo Weaving, who appeared as the evil agent Smith in the Matrix films, has the thankless task of portraying V. V only appears wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. Fawkes, a British historical figure who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament, is the inspiration for V’s own plots.

V rescues Evey (played by Natalie Portman), a young employee of the government’s propaganda television network, from the government police force. When Evey encounters V again during another stage of his plan, he brings her back to his hide-out, which is filled with government-banned objects that he has collected. Evey quickly becomes drawn into V’s ideologies and decides to help him with his plan to incite revolution and avenge the injustices committed by the government.

Although V for Vendetta contains more dialogue and less action than one might expect from a film associated with the Wachowski brothers, it is almost always interesting and fun to watch. The plot has few sagging moments, except for when the story takes a regrettable turn near the end of the second act, which may leave viewers confused or frustrated. It is a shame that V for Vendetta ultimately squanders its potential, because it is one of those rare popcorn flicks with intelligence.

Because of its excess of underdeveloped ideas, the movie does not manage to rise beyond mere diversion to say anything truly original or insightful.