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V for Vendetta
Sep. 4th, 2006 12:07 amWatched the movie again, I saw it in the cinema twice and immediately went out to buy the graphic novel, I enjoyed it so much. ;)
It's interesting to see the contrasts between comic and film; firstly of course, the movie cut out a ton of detail from the comic. Fair enough, if they'd left it in it would a) not fit into the different continuity they were creating, and b) make the film insanely long. Unfortunately, this meant they had to leave a lot of vital plot points, and had to pretty much think up a whole new ending. Perhaps if I'd known of the comic before the film, I'd be a little less forgiving, but considering all that they had to deal with in making this film, I think they did a pretty good job of it. Although it was annoying that everyone had british accents so thick they could sink a battleship. Not everyone speaks like that over here, you damn yankees!
So, the new continuity. I liked it a lot. The problem with the original comic (and I'll get crucified by fans here), is that in terms of pressing issues, it does date. Right now, in 2006, how many of us really believe we're going to be in the middle of a nuclear armageddon in a few years?
...
Yeah, I thought so. But in 1985, when Alan Moore was writing (and, incidentally, the year I was born), that was a pretty realistic threat. Unfortunately, it didn't translate well into a modern film. I did like how the director sculpted the original story to fit into more modern issues; basically, of going to hell through majority vote ;). I also liked the little tie-ins with what's happening at the moment, the way America is rapidly going downhill and its wars going to pot. The whole virus plot was more iffy, and I find it hard to put together a realistic continuity for the events: Basically, Norsefire (the party) got into power because it promised to do something about the epidemic it had secertly started. They got into power, 'discovered' the cure, and found some conveniant scapegoats, all the while pushing their message of intolerance. Eventually, 'unwanted people' were rounded up and killed in true Third Reich style. But the problem is with that- quite beyond wondering why everyone specificly voted for Norsefire while every other political party would be swearing on their grandmother's graves that they would do something too- is that the people who were taken to test the virus on while it was being developed were made up of these 'unwanted people', and Valerie's testimony seems to suggest that Norsefire were already in power when she was taken. So either Norsefire had a time machine, or the film director doesn't know his own continuity.
Anyway, moving on.
The whole part with Valerie made me cry, it was done so well, although I suspect that's because they stuck to Moore's original to the letter. If you have ever read Moore's epic poem 'The Mirror of Love' you'll know what I mean. I have to rant about that poem sometime, it's wonderful. But still, they got the cinema right, and it really was heartbreaking.
Talking about romance, what was the scriptwriter on when he wrote the whole Evie/V romance? Because I hope he brought enough to share. That was one of the most random cases of 'pastedonyay!' I have ever seen, and yes, that does include the romance in Harry Potter 6. It was, quite literally, like the scriptwriter decided to take a bit of Evie/V fanfiction and stick it into the film, that, or Hollywood's getting really desperate to get romance into every film. Because quite frankly, WTF?
Not only was it o.O, with the whole mask thing, but it just did. Not. Make. Sense. There was no chemistry there. It was almost as bad as in Batman Begins, except that in Batman Begins the romantic interest has no purpose outside being a romantic interest, and Evie and V are characters in their own rights. It was as though the director decided, "Right, we're going to have Evie falling for someone in this film, who's the closest male character?" Except that there was someone in the comic book, and I'm just not sure what the scriptwriter was thinking with that one, so I'll just assume everyone on the team was stoned at the time.
It's interesting to see how different people percieve the supreme chancellor, my friend Olga saw him very much based on Hilter, while I, for some unfathomable reason, found myself connecting him to Goldstein in 1984. God knows why, but he's the absolute spitting image of what I imagined Goldstein to look like. Go figure.
Enjoyed the part where V meets Dr Surridge- "Is it meaningless to apologise?" "It is never meaningless to apologise." Then she dies. Cold blooded murder. Who's side are you one? Is there a side to be on? The film coasts over most of the questions of morality Moore built into the comic, but here it shines through.
I'm perfectly aware that the part where Evie stands on the roof in the rainstorm is totally cliche'd, but I loved it anyway. It was powerful, it was beautiful, and it was absolutely brilliant. I loved it.
I did miss a lot of the background in the comic book, which was naturally absent of the film. Moore built up a perfect view of the world he was writing in from these backgrounds, just letting what was happening around the characters set the scene for him. I also did miss Fate, and V's speech to Justice. Loved the extra gay rights subtext though ;)
It's ironic that this has to be the only film which Hugo Weaving acted in and in which I don't see him as Agent Smith. In every other film I've been unable to see him as anything else, which made Lord of the Rings very odd, I can tell you. He's not the only one, I have the same problem with Liam Neeson, only with him it's Star Wars, not the Martix.
The ending disappointed me after I read the graphic novel, because there is no reason why Evie couldn't take V's place as she did in the comic. It would be fitting, would not cut into extra screentime too much, and make for a brilliant ending. It would make some problems in the new continuity, but nothing they couldn't fix.
So anyway, this is a great film overall, although it does have some major flaws (the romance is the worst). If you want a cool film, and something to cheer you up after reading 1984, then, please, go see it, it's great. If on the other hand, you want a deep, engaging story with grey characters, amazing backstory and no clear cut answers, stick to the comic book.
It's interesting to see the contrasts between comic and film; firstly of course, the movie cut out a ton of detail from the comic. Fair enough, if they'd left it in it would a) not fit into the different continuity they were creating, and b) make the film insanely long. Unfortunately, this meant they had to leave a lot of vital plot points, and had to pretty much think up a whole new ending. Perhaps if I'd known of the comic before the film, I'd be a little less forgiving, but considering all that they had to deal with in making this film, I think they did a pretty good job of it. Although it was annoying that everyone had british accents so thick they could sink a battleship. Not everyone speaks like that over here, you damn yankees!
So, the new continuity. I liked it a lot. The problem with the original comic (and I'll get crucified by fans here), is that in terms of pressing issues, it does date. Right now, in 2006, how many of us really believe we're going to be in the middle of a nuclear armageddon in a few years?
...
Yeah, I thought so. But in 1985, when Alan Moore was writing (and, incidentally, the year I was born), that was a pretty realistic threat. Unfortunately, it didn't translate well into a modern film. I did like how the director sculpted the original story to fit into more modern issues; basically, of going to hell through majority vote ;). I also liked the little tie-ins with what's happening at the moment, the way America is rapidly going downhill and its wars going to pot. The whole virus plot was more iffy, and I find it hard to put together a realistic continuity for the events: Basically, Norsefire (the party) got into power because it promised to do something about the epidemic it had secertly started. They got into power, 'discovered' the cure, and found some conveniant scapegoats, all the while pushing their message of intolerance. Eventually, 'unwanted people' were rounded up and killed in true Third Reich style. But the problem is with that- quite beyond wondering why everyone specificly voted for Norsefire while every other political party would be swearing on their grandmother's graves that they would do something too- is that the people who were taken to test the virus on while it was being developed were made up of these 'unwanted people', and Valerie's testimony seems to suggest that Norsefire were already in power when she was taken. So either Norsefire had a time machine, or the film director doesn't know his own continuity.
Anyway, moving on.
The whole part with Valerie made me cry, it was done so well, although I suspect that's because they stuck to Moore's original to the letter. If you have ever read Moore's epic poem 'The Mirror of Love' you'll know what I mean. I have to rant about that poem sometime, it's wonderful. But still, they got the cinema right, and it really was heartbreaking.
Talking about romance, what was the scriptwriter on when he wrote the whole Evie/V romance? Because I hope he brought enough to share. That was one of the most random cases of 'pastedonyay!' I have ever seen, and yes, that does include the romance in Harry Potter 6. It was, quite literally, like the scriptwriter decided to take a bit of Evie/V fanfiction and stick it into the film, that, or Hollywood's getting really desperate to get romance into every film. Because quite frankly, WTF?
Not only was it o.O, with the whole mask thing, but it just did. Not. Make. Sense. There was no chemistry there. It was almost as bad as in Batman Begins, except that in Batman Begins the romantic interest has no purpose outside being a romantic interest, and Evie and V are characters in their own rights. It was as though the director decided, "Right, we're going to have Evie falling for someone in this film, who's the closest male character?" Except that there was someone in the comic book, and I'm just not sure what the scriptwriter was thinking with that one, so I'll just assume everyone on the team was stoned at the time.
It's interesting to see how different people percieve the supreme chancellor, my friend Olga saw him very much based on Hilter, while I, for some unfathomable reason, found myself connecting him to Goldstein in 1984. God knows why, but he's the absolute spitting image of what I imagined Goldstein to look like. Go figure.
Enjoyed the part where V meets Dr Surridge- "Is it meaningless to apologise?" "It is never meaningless to apologise." Then she dies. Cold blooded murder. Who's side are you one? Is there a side to be on? The film coasts over most of the questions of morality Moore built into the comic, but here it shines through.
I'm perfectly aware that the part where Evie stands on the roof in the rainstorm is totally cliche'd, but I loved it anyway. It was powerful, it was beautiful, and it was absolutely brilliant. I loved it.
I did miss a lot of the background in the comic book, which was naturally absent of the film. Moore built up a perfect view of the world he was writing in from these backgrounds, just letting what was happening around the characters set the scene for him. I also did miss Fate, and V's speech to Justice. Loved the extra gay rights subtext though ;)
It's ironic that this has to be the only film which Hugo Weaving acted in and in which I don't see him as Agent Smith. In every other film I've been unable to see him as anything else, which made Lord of the Rings very odd, I can tell you. He's not the only one, I have the same problem with Liam Neeson, only with him it's Star Wars, not the Martix.
The ending disappointed me after I read the graphic novel, because there is no reason why Evie couldn't take V's place as she did in the comic. It would be fitting, would not cut into extra screentime too much, and make for a brilliant ending. It would make some problems in the new continuity, but nothing they couldn't fix.
So anyway, this is a great film overall, although it does have some major flaws (the romance is the worst). If you want a cool film, and something to cheer you up after reading 1984, then, please, go see it, it's great. If on the other hand, you want a deep, engaging story with grey characters, amazing backstory and no clear cut answers, stick to the comic book.
