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Movie Reviews, & Film Industry Commentary
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2006 – R – 131 min.
Director: James McTeigue
Primary Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Rupert Graves, Roger Allam
Stars **** (of 5)
Popcorn *** 1/2 (of 5)
Film Type(s): Action, Science Fiction, Thriller, Vigilante, Comic Book Film
Synopsis: In a future dystopia Great Britain, 21-year old Evey (Portman) is assaulted by several vindictive policemen (or “Finger Men”) for being out after curfew only to be saved by a man in a mask. He says his name is V (Weaving) and offers to take her home after a stop, a stop which turns out to be blowing up a government building. Now the obsessive dictator Sutler (Hurt) wants V and Evey found and ‘taken care of’ (in spite of knowing Evey’s innocence). Soon Evey becomes aware of just how far it is that Sutler has gone and is willing to go to attain and keep his power. Only Inspector Creedy (Pigott-Smith) is both aware and able to follow V’s plan as it happens, but he also finds out things about the government he works for that he’s not sure that anyone should know.
Review: “Remember, Remember, The Fifth of November / The Gunpowder Treason And Plot / I Know of No Reason, Why The Gunpowder Treason Should Ever Be Forgot.” This rhyme (the British equivalent of “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”) provides the main theme and begins this adaptation of Alan Moore’s classic Graphic Novel of the same name. Here the makers of the Matrix films adapt the story with the Wachowski brothers scripting and Producing and is the Directorial debut of their former Assistant Director McTeigue. A misnomer as an intelligent mindless action-thriller, the film is essentially about a 1984-like Great Britain’s disfigured Robin Hood (with some Matrix-like Messiah complex moments thrown in). The man, V, wears a Guy Fawkes mask (the subject of the aforementioned rhyme). The acting is fair and over the top (particularly by “innocent” Portman and dictator Hurt), but Hugo Weaving’s performance is well done, emoting very well (especially since we never see his face). He also delivers his soliloquies with great wit and elegance. The film’s script narrowly skirts being overall over-the-top, but manages to be intelligent and thought provoking. The fits of violence, while only somewhat unnecessary to the plot, are not always of taste. Among the changes from Moore’s novel are that it was updated from a Cold War future to Post-9/11 future, Evey is ironically changed from a 16-year old prostitute on her own in the world to an ‘innocent’ 21-year old TV network intern, and the wonderful use of Rolling Stones lyrics for wit is eliminated (although “Street Fighting Man” does play over the end credits). Look fast during the finale to see Weaving among the crowd. Moore and the Wachowski’s had a very public falling out over the publicity of this film and plans to adapt several of Moore’s other works, The Watchmen in particular, were reportedly placed on hold indefinitely.
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