Review

Review Date: 19-March-06
Spoiler Rating: Medium
Juju Judgment: Juicy

V for Vendetta (2006)

Remember that scene in "Casablanca" when Victor Laszlo leads Rick's customers in a rousing chorus of "La Marseillaise?" What a glorious moment that is, calculated to stir the breast of anyone who despises tyranny. The politically charged melodrama/thriller/superhero movie "V for Vendetta" is like that in its entirety, only instead of declaiming against apathy it rages against fear. It can make you grieve, love, hate, fume, hope, and and feel ashamed (also crave a fried egg sandwich), which adds up to a grand old time at the movies.

Considering its sensational pitch, admirers and detractors alike could call "V for Vendetta" a propaganda piece. And so it is, but its message is worth both hearing and savoring. In the tale of a masked warrior, philosopher, poet, and revolutionary named "V" (Hugo Weaving) who incites the citizens of England to rise up against a fascist government, the movie acknowledges that while people need leaders and leadership relies on manipulating emotions, this doesn't always have to be negative. The populace should choose whether to follow someone who will exploit their insecurities to augment his personal power, or someone who will compel them to overcome their fear and promote a collective autonomy. There's a fundamental difference between arousing xenophobia to weaken the masses (by telling people that homosexuals will undermine the family, for example) and encouraging people to expect decent treatment from their society and their government. The former is morally wrong; the latter is morally right; and it's scary that the filmmakers seem slightly radical for saying so.

Not that "V for Vendetta" paints a black-and-white picture or is entirely polemic. Despite being too long, it maintains a pleasing momentum of expectation in which the yearning for action sometimes replaces action itself. In addition to terrorist operations against a self-serving despot (John Hurt), which consist mostly of bloodless, camera-friendly bombings, the plot includes the hero's pursuit of a private, more bloody matter of vengeance. (His thirst for justice is divorced from his embodiment of an idea.) Throughout the film he is pursued or otherwise entangled with a variety of people, all of whom he is willing to exploit, including a government heavy (Tim Pigott-Smith), a cop in search of the truth (Stephen Rea), and a pretty young woman whom he rescues from rapist thugs (Natalie Portman). Her transformation at V's hands forms the heart of the story (would that Portman brought more presence to the screen), and their intense relationship is an intriguing mix of paternal, platonic, and romantic affection.

Because V's methods are violent and his love is tough — and because the path of a true leader is solitary — he must live alone behind a mask as if in penance for his necessary fate. (And let's face it, guys who constantly quote Shakespeare aren't likely to be popular anyway.) The good news is, cinema can benefit from the fact that humanity is a cruel business where victories are hard won and even heroes have their faults. "V for Vendetta" has its faults, too, but it scales the heights of greatness by stirring a moviegoer's soul.

Copyright © 2006 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.