bill bodkin debuts pop-break’s retro film review column on the fifth of November…
Release Date: 2006
First Saw It: Opening Weekend at the AMC Loews Theater in New Brunswick, N.J.
What Drew Me to See It: A comic book movie produced and directed by the team that brought us The Matrix — sign me up.
Starring: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Rupert Graves
Before They Were Stars Appearances: Character actor Eddie Marsan, popular for his role as Inspector Lestrade in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films, appeared as a Ministry head. Imogen Poots, leading lady in 2010’s Fright Night and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later, appeared as the young Valerie, the woman who’s letters inspire our hero.
Thank God They Weren’t Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard and Scarlett Johanssen were considered for the role of Evvy, which eventually went to Natalie Portman.
Director: James McTeigue (The Invasion, Ninja Assassin)
The Best Performance: Hugo Weaving as the masked hero V. It’s an amazing performance since we never once see his character’s face. Yet through his vocal intonations and gestures, he almost makes his unmoving Guy Fawkes mask change appearance. Weaving masterfully creates a multifaceted character in V — he’s theatric, fanatical, obsessive, compassionate and at the same time emotionally invincible and fragile.
The Supporting Scene Stealer: Stephen Fry as the closeted late-night talk show Deitrich. Fry adds a much needed amount of levity to the early part of the film and then adds to its tragedy not only when he reveals to Evvy (Portman) that he’s been secretly been living as a gay man, but when he’s abducted and eventually executed by the ministry.
The Moment To Remember: It’s a tough one. Natalie Portman getting her head shaved bald was a moment the trailers pushed hard, as was the final scene with thousands of Londoners donned in Guy Fawkes regalia marching on the military. However, the moment that really sticks is the final fight scene. It’s not just Matrix-style action that impresses, although it is really, really cool, it’s the fact we know this is V’s last stand. That he’s not making it out of this fight alive. But there’s part of us that doesn’t want to believe it, maybe he can make it out alive. And after all his knife work and “fancy karate” he stumbles away, unleashes the knight’s armor he had under his jacket, blood pouring down. Our fears have been realized, but the question remains, if V is dying can he still blow up Parliament.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLqEWDo1VQk]
The Memorable Quote: “Remember, remember the 5th of November …” It’s the line that puts the whole story in motion … and the quote everyone puts on their Facebook on Nov. 5.
The Groan Moment: Natalie Portman raising her hands sky high in the air, rain pouring down on her. I understand it’s her “moment” where she finally lets go of her fears, but it’s a little heavy-handed.
Why I Can’t Stop Watching It: V For Vendetta is a message film wrapped in comic book movies’ clothing. And the message is a timeless one. Don’t believe me? Look up an of the “Occupy Wall Street” or whatever town you’d like and watch protestors wearing Guy Fawkes masks. V For Vendetta challenges you. Can you get behind a character who in essence is a terrorist? Can you root for him as he goes on a homicidal rampage, murdering all the people he believes that have wronged him? And then it asks questions on the other side of the coin. Can you blindly sit there and accept what your government tells you to believe? How much liberty and freedom needs to be taken away from you before you stand up and take action. These are questions that you have to tackle every single time you watch this movie,, and as you grow older your opinions change, thus altering your opinion of the film, which is absolutely amazing to me.
