V for Vendetta (2006)
Directed by James McTeigue
In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as “V” conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When V rescues a young woman from the secret police, he finds in her an ally with whom he can continue his fight to free the people of Britain.
23 connections found
View:
23 films that influenced V for Vendetta
What critics say influenced V for Vendetta
Portman, who seems to have a knack for turning out decent performances in awkward films (remember those Star Wars prequels?)…
Her past roles have included Closer, Garden State and she’s forever popularized as Padmé in the Star Wars series.
Directed by newcomer James McTeigue from the Wachowskis’ adaptation of the Alan Moore graphic novel, V for Vendetta recaptures something of the bold, provocative blend of intriguing themes and ultraviolent action that made The Matrix the most discussed and debated action movie since Star Wars .
Without overthinking or digging too deep, viewers will be able to identify parallels with 1984, The Matrix , The Phantom of the Opera, Zorro, and even Star Wars .
It's a combination of "1984," "Zorro," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Beauty and the Beast," and "The Count of Monte Cristo," with only Doug Fairbanks, Errol Flynn, or Robert Donat missing from the title role.
Seeing this, I was reminded of Julie Christies character sitting listlessly in front of her TV in another dystopian sci-fi movie, "Fahrenheit 451" (1966).
The similarity may have come easily to Moore, whose graphic novel “ From Hell ” was about the Ripper, and inspired a good 2001 movie by the Hughes brothers.
Writer/producers Andy and Larry Wachowski ("The Matrix" series) may have given the directing reins over to their "Matrix" first assistant James McTeigue, but their fingerprints are all over this adaptation of the 1980's Alan Moore ("From Hell," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") anti-Thatcherism graphic novel.
Alan Moore made quite a stink earlier this year by publicly disassociating himself from the cinematic adaptation of his 1982 graphic novel V for Vendetta, which he assumed – after unpleasant experiences with From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – would be bastardized in its translation to the screen.
3 1/2 Stars (out of 4) Tweet You Can Count on 'V' By Jeffrey M. Anderson Legendary comic book writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, From Hell) recently denounced Andy and Larry Wachowski's screenplay adaptation of V for Vendetta, but that's just who he is.
Previous screen adaptations of the English writer's comics and characters had resulted in movies that ranged from bad ("Constantine," 2005) to worse ("From Hell," 2001) to worthless ("The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," 2003).
Advertisement
Once you get past that, it's easy to enjoy how the Wachowskis have condensed this rich story into a tighter package, cleaning things up and taking out what might have been unnecessary or confusing about Moore's original series, while borrowing bits from Tim Burton's "Batman" or "The Phantom of the Opera" to help new viewers relate.
And yet, despite its brilliant appeal, there's just something strange about V himself that's hard to shake - a smiling Guy Fawkes' mask, a Frenchman's flair for cooking, an interest in Scarlet Carson roses, and an obsession with "The Count of Monte Cristo," etc. that only compound the feeling of unease.
Like "The Matrix" itself, "V for Vendetta" (created by David Lloyd and Alan Moore in 1981 as a critique of then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher's conservative government) serves up a dense-pack amalgam of literary references, from, inevitably, George Orwell's "1984" to Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo."
Naceri co-wrote the script with Luc Besson, the producer of “La Femme Nikita” and a host of other action films.
Those who have read the original series will be surprised by how much of Moore's powerful story remains intact, giving this film a similar attitude as Terry Gilliam's "Brazil," only without the fantasy and humor.
Advertisement
As Evey's closeted boss -- the host of a TV variety show -- Stephen Fry is behind one of the movie's most memorable sequences -- a spoof of the Chancellor that echoes both Benny Hill and A Clockwork Orange.
Among rebellious movies that threaten to blow shit up in the end, V for Vendetta is closer to the confused philosophy of Fight Club than the visual poetry of Zabriskie Point.