V for Vendetta - Preview

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Rated: R

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Release Date: 2006-03-17

Starring: Natalie Portman (Evey), Hugo Weaving (V), Sinead Cusack, Nicolas de Pruyssenaere, Stephen Fry, Selina Giles, Rupert Graves, Keith How, John Hurt, Tim Pigott Smith, Stephen Rea

Directed by James McTeigue (AD on Matrix 2 & 3, Star Wars Ep II)

Produced by Grant Hill (not a former Piston), Joel Silver, Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski

Written by Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski

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Previewed by Joshua Tyler : 2006-03-12 13:17:24

Based on the Alan Moore comic of the same name, V for Vendetta is the story of a shadowy freedom fighter, set in an alternate reality. In V's world, Germany won a World War, leaving Great Britain a fascist, totalitarian regime. V conducts guerilla warfare against the government, and convinces a young girl to join him.

Here’s yet another movie about a heroic terrorist. I’m still holding out for one that’s played by an Arab. Seriously folks, we throw the word “terrorist” around the same way we do Satan… but fact is there’s a lot of things we’d consider heroic that also fall under that heading. We need to create a new word to better classify the current threat facing the world. I’m thinking something along the lines of “exploding sons of bitches” or "flammable asshats". Maybe that’s too kind.

In this case, I’m talking about V for Vendetta, based on the Alan Moore graphic novel (a fancy way of saying thick comic book) of the same name. Alan Moore hates this film adaptation, but if you’ve seen pictures of Alan Moore you’d know that despite being a great writer he’s also completely wacky. He hates everything. Pay no attention to him. The premise is pretty cool, presenting an alternate world where Germany won World War II and Great Britain is run by not very nice fascists. We know they’re not nice, because in the film’s trailer they shave Natalie Portman bald. Assholes!

Angered by Natalie’s loss of hair, a heavily masked vigilante known only as “V” starts waging a guerilla war against the cruel government. Mixed in there with the usual cool gunplay is something which might also be considered pretty deep ideology. In the trailer V proclaims that people shouldn’t be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people. I think you can guess which side he’d fall on in the issue of gun control.

The film is directed by the Wachowski brothers, out of their dresses and eager to redeem themselves after the blithely mediocre finale they saddled their once great opus The Matrix with. A film about fighting a dark corrupt government is right up their alley, though it’s a shame someone has already made a movie about Ed Wood. That might be even more up their alley. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

V for Vendetta so far looks really good. Hugo Weaving, the Wachowski’s stiff talking muse plays “V”, and he’s a damned fine choice. Mixing in the greatness of Natalie Portman only gives them more credibility, and if they aren’t using a lot of blue screen maybe Natalie could even do some acting.

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