Today’s quick review: V for Vendetta. Decades in the future, England is ruled by the draconian police state of the Norsefire Party. Opposing the regime is V (Hugo Weaving), a theatrical terrorist in a Guy Fawkes mask who has a penchant for verbosity, explosives, fine art, and the letter “V”. One night, he saves Evey (Natalie Portman) from a cruel fate at the hands of the police. Over the following months, he takes her into his confidence, and she becomes one of the only people to understand his motives. But with the whole government after him, it is only a time before V’s revolution comes to a head.
V for Vendetta is a film adaptation of the graphic novel by Alan Moore. Hugo Weaving stars as V, the man in the mask. His refined tones and theatrical mannerisms are a strong fit to the peculiar character. Natalie plays opposite him as Evey, who is gradually drawn from her sheltered life by V. The film has a healthy amount of action, though it is limited to V’s explosives and his prowess with a knife against rooms full of enemies. His schemes are entertaining, although they stop one step short of elaborate. The film is technically dystopian science fiction, and though its glimpse of the future is more political than scientific, it fits nicely with its dystopian sci-fi brethren Equilibrium and Aeon Flux.
Despite a strong premise, V for Vendetta falls flat. V’s opponents are cardboard cutouts that rob the moral conflict of much of its nuance. The plot comes across as linear, just a string of ever-greater acts of terrorism leading up to the finale. The combat is adequate but could have been given a bit more flair to go with V’s dramatic character. Evey’s arc is not entirely convincing, and the lack of meaningful supporting cast stunts the characters and the plot. The mystery surrounding V’s identity is handled well, but the rest of the movie does not provide enough reason to care.
Fans of dystopian sci-fi with a bit of action should give V for Vendetta a watch. It is a decent film with good ideas and a few iconic moments. But the film is notable more for its main character than its plot or execution. While it makes for a good popcorn film when you are in the mood for an action movie that is a little on the dark side, skipping it would be no real loss. However, your valuation of its strengths and weaknesses will vary, so give it a watch if you have any interest in the premise.
8.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for decent execution with some missed potential.