Yuk, this mask tastes like plastic
Sooo...finally saw V is for Vendetta tonight. I can't say I was particularly looking forward to watching a good graphic novel turned into a Frankenstein's monster on the screen, but I went anyway because it was Friday night, and friends wanted to go. So, just a few notes...and there are spoilers here, so beware.
First off, I'm not going to mention the numerous departures from the text. I'm not such a geek or purist that deviations from the "book" send me into a crumb-spraying tirade, but I will say that some of the additions did nothing to advance the plot or characters and seemed gratuitously added and only served to muddle a muddy film.
Secondly: maybe an explanation of why the main character, V, is doing what he's doing? He appears to be acting, at times, out of high minded political sentiment or sheer revenge. If he has political ideals, I sure couldn't figure them out from this movie. he could easily be an anarchist, a socialist, a libertarian, a communist, anything but a conservative. Because the movie makes abundantly clear, that's Evil. He says that "blowing up a building can change the world." Yes, if you're one of the bastards in the building, your world does change: it gets a good bit smaller.
Third: The villains. Chancellor Sutler inspires nothing but amusement here. Instead of the zealot who actually believes he's doing what's right for his country and people, we get a cut-rate Hitler. Yay. he's scary. The overacting, the lack of intelligent dialogue, the Myspace profile (oh yes), all consipre to make the chief villain laughable. A figure of pity - but fortunately, as one dimensional as the Wachowskis think moviegoers need. God forbid we should have complex characters.
Fourth: The End. At the very end of the movie, V has killed everyone important in power who was unlucky enough to have a speaking part in the movie. The soldiers facing down the mob of angry, yet strangely peaceable Londoners have stood down and are allowing the forces of freedom and democracy to vent their anger. The good guys have won. And what do we do? We blow more buildings up. Violence IS the answer all along. Why, the evil nasty government needed to go because it used violence against it's own citizens. But, I guess if you wear a mask and use the letter "V" a lot in conversation, it's OK to use violence against your own citizens. So really, the Parliament destruction scene was pointless as V had already won, but what the hell. It's a movie and a subtle trick like implying that it was possible to effect political change via nonviolent methods is not only possible but PREFERABLE....nah. Let's blow shit up. Wa hoo!
Fifth: Who wrote this dialogue? Seriously? Oh wait, the same guys who wrote all the Matrix movies. That explains it - the fake use of philosophical terms to make a movie sound "smart" to an audience that, like a dog, isn't listening to the words so much as the tone of voice. Ah, he's on about freedom again. I'll settle down and wait until he knifes someone, secure in the knowledge that he's a Good Guy. Right?
I spent $10, and I want at least $6 of it back.
First off, I'm not going to mention the numerous departures from the text. I'm not such a geek or purist that deviations from the "book" send me into a crumb-spraying tirade, but I will say that some of the additions did nothing to advance the plot or characters and seemed gratuitously added and only served to muddle a muddy film.
Secondly: maybe an explanation of why the main character, V, is doing what he's doing? He appears to be acting, at times, out of high minded political sentiment or sheer revenge. If he has political ideals, I sure couldn't figure them out from this movie. he could easily be an anarchist, a socialist, a libertarian, a communist, anything but a conservative. Because the movie makes abundantly clear, that's Evil. He says that "blowing up a building can change the world." Yes, if you're one of the bastards in the building, your world does change: it gets a good bit smaller.
Third: The villains. Chancellor Sutler inspires nothing but amusement here. Instead of the zealot who actually believes he's doing what's right for his country and people, we get a cut-rate Hitler. Yay. he's scary. The overacting, the lack of intelligent dialogue, the Myspace profile (oh yes), all consipre to make the chief villain laughable. A figure of pity - but fortunately, as one dimensional as the Wachowskis think moviegoers need. God forbid we should have complex characters.
Fourth: The End. At the very end of the movie, V has killed everyone important in power who was unlucky enough to have a speaking part in the movie. The soldiers facing down the mob of angry, yet strangely peaceable Londoners have stood down and are allowing the forces of freedom and democracy to vent their anger. The good guys have won. And what do we do? We blow more buildings up. Violence IS the answer all along. Why, the evil nasty government needed to go because it used violence against it's own citizens. But, I guess if you wear a mask and use the letter "V" a lot in conversation, it's OK to use violence against your own citizens. So really, the Parliament destruction scene was pointless as V had already won, but what the hell. It's a movie and a subtle trick like implying that it was possible to effect political change via nonviolent methods is not only possible but PREFERABLE....nah. Let's blow shit up. Wa hoo!
Fifth: Who wrote this dialogue? Seriously? Oh wait, the same guys who wrote all the Matrix movies. That explains it - the fake use of philosophical terms to make a movie sound "smart" to an audience that, like a dog, isn't listening to the words so much as the tone of voice. Ah, he's on about freedom again. I'll settle down and wait until he knifes someone, secure in the knowledge that he's a Good Guy. Right?
I spent $10, and I want at least $6 of it back.
We make a great team. I spout crumbs and rant about the differences between film and graphic novel, and you explain why the film itself sucked ass. High five!
Posted by
Hannah |
11:08 PM
^5!
Posted by
Aaron |
8:44 AM
I think you throw out the tadpoles with the copious bathwater.
Which is perfectly fine. The few scenes that were done well were worth the price of admission to me. Your milage obviously varied. :)
Posted by
annie |
2:42 PM