Review: ‘V for Vendetta’ relies on power of ideas

The graphic novel format has become rich territory from which Hollywood mines screenplays for every type of film imaginable. Movies as varied in theme as “Road to Perdition” and “The Rocketeer” are based on graphic novels. Other popular films in the genre include “Batman Begins,” “Sin City,” “American Splendor,” “Hell Boy,” “Ghost World,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” and “A History of Violence.”

The latest in this line is James McTeigue’s film version of Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s “V for Vendetta.” While written in the early 1980s in response to Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative Party’s rise to power in England, the screenplay has been updated to make the story more relevant to the neocon-controlled politics of 2006.

Indeed, aside from the fact they are spoken so eloquently, many of the ideas spouted by “the chancellor of England” seem vaguely familiar. Phrases akin to “dissent is treason,” “you must be with us or you are against us,” “the world is a better place now” and the like are bandied about ad nauseam.

This is McTeigue’s first film as a director. He served as assistant director on the Wachowski brothers’ hugely successful and visually innovative “Matrix” films. The Wachowskis serve as producers here and also wrote the updated screenplay. I respected the “Matrix” series more than I enjoyed it, but I found “V for Vendetta” to be not only a great piece of political commentary but also a visually stunning and highly entertaining film.

Hugo Weaving, as “V,” does his entire performance behind a Guy Fawkes mask. Weaving uses his wonderfully rich voice paired with well-executed body movements to make the audience nearly forget that the “face” never changes expressions. There are no eyes to act as windows to the soul. No brow to be furrowed. No mouth to smile or frown. But the emotions are communicated nonetheless.

“Vendetta” is set in London. The year is 2020, and the world is quite different from the one we know today. The United States is in a state of civil war caused by plague, poverty and years of bad management. England has suffered a terrorist attack in the recent past, but order has been restored. High Chancellor Sutler – who promises security – rules the country. All that’s expected in return is the surrender of civil liberties. Sutler’s mouthpiece in the media is TV personality and right-wing religious fanatic Lewis Prothero.

There is a nightly curfew, and young Evey, who works for a TV station, is caught on the streets after hours. She’s about to be raped, not by “criminals” but by members of Sutler’s security force. Suddenly a smooth-talking, cape-wearing figure in a Guy Fawkes mask saves her from her fate.

He explains he is “V” and is here to save England from the grip of tyranny. Sounds good so far. Later that night he blows up the Old Bailey building while the “1812 Overture” blares from the ubiquitous outdoor PA horns around London. He announces his presence and urges the masses to be in front of Parliament one year from this night, on Guy Fawkes Day, 2021.

The film follows V as he keeps Evey prisoner for her own protection. The chancellor is outraged when high-ranking officials and friends of the government begin turning up dead. V is behind it and in the film’s biggest subplot we learn the reasons for his vendetta as well as the story of how he came to be as he is.

On V’s tail is Chief Inspector Eric Finch, who risks his own standing within the party when he veers off the case at hand to look into some puzzling events surrounding the terrorist attacks that spawned the chancellor’s rise to power.

The Wachowskis have taken a huge risk with this film. V is the hero of the stor,y but in some eyes he will be viewed as a terrorist himself. “People should not be afraid of their government,” he proclaims. “Government should be afraid of them.” And indeed his government is afraid of, and angry with, him.

The look of the film, much of it created digitally, is sumptuous. Director of photography Adrian Biddle utilizes a vibrant, eye-popping approach that suits the graphic novel origins of the film perfectly. It’s not as surreal a look as employed in “Sin City.” Biddle prefers to embellish reality rather than creating his own from scratch.

It will be interesting to hear the political pundits’ reviews of this film. Few of them will see it but all will comment on it.

It’s a thought-provoking, and even more so, an entertaining film. It’s rated R for violence and language, but some of the younger adults who are used to nonstop bullets, bombs and action may be somewhat disappointed, as “V for Vendetta” does a lot of its fighting with the power of words and ideas.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician. He can be reached by e-mail at info@wunderlesound.com or on his Web site, www.wunderlesound.com.