V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta is a film that has sat in my Netflix queue for quite some time. As is the case with many of my Retro Reviews, I've not previously seen it (at least in its entirety). Somehow, this one escaped me back in the day, likely because I was too young (16 in 2006) to actually go see it. 

I mistakenly thought it was directed by the Wachowski's - the visionary directors behind the Matrix trilogy and directors who always shoot for the moon (even if they don't always land). They instead wrote the screenplay from a graphic novel so part of me questions exactly how much voice they put into the film, but regardless; this seems to be a film that has stood the test of time. 

Watching it was eerie, especially because I really didn't know too much about the plot. It's frighteningly relevant today, with a epidemic killing 100,000 people (sound familiar?), a lot of political and societal turmoil, and people rising up to fight for what they believe in. As usual, I'll avoid most of the politics here because, quite frankly, I don't have the energy to engage on such topics right now, but suffice it to say that V for Vendetta is perhaps as relevant right now as it has ever been - and certainly more than it was in 2005. 

V for Vendetta tells the story of a oppressive British government led by a sensitive might-as-well-be-dictator that is keeping plenty of secrets. Life is normal-ish for most citizens, but you get the sense that their normalcy is only allowed by the government. In the shadows, a vigilante fighter known as "V" seeks to overthrow the establishment after having suffered at the hand of his government considerably. Along the way, he meets Evey (Portman) whom he recruits to help him. 

The movie and its story are best when its focused on V and his mission. 3 years before The Dark Knight gave us some insanely memorable and quotable dialogues about the world, governments, society, etc, V for Vendetta gives us some of that same medicine. When the film shifts its lens to Portman's character, I became less interested. Not because Portman does bad, but because I just felt like Evey's struggle of will she/won't she (join the rebellion) was distracting from the more entertaining, thoughtful, and exciting quest of V. The fact that they fall in love piled on to my disinterest here as it was too predictable and cliche for a film that seemed like it was trying to subvert expectations. To be fair, I wouldn't say any of this ruins the film, but it's the average/good portion of a film I found to be otherwise fantastic. It also creates some pacing issues and the actual editing from one scene to the next can be jarring - desperately wanting to jump back and forth between V, Evey, and government officials/investigators. 

"I'm going to have to do what with my hair?"

"Why!!
Why must I be in Attack of the Clones?!"

But there is something under the surface that's endearing about V for Vendetta. It talks a lot about things that are pretty frightening, especially as we've seen some of this unfold. The famous line "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of the people" sent a chill down my spine. It's a powerful notion - and true - but I think we all know how much violence and unrest would have to occur to fulfill its prophecy. Several lines and interactions throughout are memorable thanks to the aforementioned script and combined with Hugo Weaving's voice performance are iconic in their own right. Truthfully, I had the hardest time understanding him at first, but eventually turned up my volume enough to hear him clearly. This combination of the actor + the script is why and where V for Vendetta sings so well that it makes the aforementioned segments without him seem dull in comparison. 

A side of me - perhaps the more immature side - also wishes there was more action. We're given basically two big action sets, with the final one being the most impressive (and the most obviously Matrix-inspired). Both are impressively choreographed, if not slightly over-edited, and watching V wearing a mask, long black robe, and taking down foe after foe with knife-based combat is pretty exciting. He may not be a "superhero" (the movie makes this pretty unclear), but his brand of justice is R-rated and thrilling. I wish it were complimented by a better original score, but hey, I've come to find that the "great ones" are rare here. 

See this [s**ts my pants]

I'm glad I finally watched V for Vendetta in its entirety, even if I was ever-so-slightly disappointed, which is my own fault. As a film I felt like it focused too much on rather uninteresting material when it had plenty of actually very interesting material to dive into. However, its relevance is shocking to our current world and it's almost eerie that I chose to watch it having little knowledge about the plot up until this point. It's an exciting, very "cool", and thought-provoking film that has room for improvement, but is entertaining and well worth a watch in its own right. 

CONS

• I really couldn't get invested in the core plot around Evey joining the rebellion even though it has a satisfying conclusion. I found the character poorly written
• The best "stuff" (V and his quest) seem to get pushed to the backburner 
• Pacing and editing is a bit off
• Could have used a more memorable original score
• Action is great; I would have liked more
• Something about it feels older than 2006. Couldn't put a finger on it (wardrobe, technology...something) but it feels like a late 90s film

PROS

• Wonderful script with thought provoking imagery and declarations
• Hugo Weaving is a perfect fit for V. The film sings when he's on screen delivering the film's best lines
• Shockingly relevant plot, more so now in 2020 than it ever was in 2006
• Gorgeous action with solid choreography. The final battle's clear Matrix inspirations elevate it above the rest
• Entertaining and meaty throughout. It's easy to see why it has a strong following all these years later

Retro Rath's Review Score | 8/10