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V for Vulgar

2006-04-17 17:03:05.912841+00 by Dan Lyke 5 comments

Charlene and I have been wanting to see a good film, and we'd heard good things, so we went out to V for Vendetta[Wiki] last night. While we didn't walk out, we were both sadly disappointed. Why can't screenwriters assume I've got two neurons to rub together to make a thought? Why do directors think I must I be force-fed similarities in character development? I think the creator of the original comic strip, Alan Moore[Wiki], says it fairly well:

The baby is one I put a great deal of love into, a great deal of passion and then during a drunken night it turned out that I'd sold it to the gypsies and they had turned out my baby into a life of prostitution.

Decent editing could have easily culled it from its two hours and twelve minutes. Decent writing could have introduced some ambiguity, provoked us as viewers to ask questions, rather than simply (and stupidly) portraying the society as one of cowed citizens against oppressive fascism. Decent directing could have let us capture similé without intercut flashback that tried to browbeat us into accepting symbolism. And I don't know if this is a function of the initial comic as well as the screenplay, but the whole Guy Fawkes[Wiki] reference could have been explored as the much more nuanced situation that historically it seems to have been.

I had been hoping for a film of ideas. Instead I got a film of overly melodramatic action sequences, flat characters, and trite political simplicities. Skip it.

[ related topics: Politics Movies moron Writing ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2006-04-17 17:30:48.293861+00 by: Dan Lyke

More Alan Moore ragging on the film:

Those words, "fascism" and "anarchy," occur nowhere in the film. It's been turned into a Bush-era parable by people too timid to set a political satire in their own country.

#Comment Re: made: 2006-04-18 10:48:14.728864+00 by: DaveP

Hmm. First negative review I've read of it. In typical fashion for me, I'm waiting for the DVD so I can watch it at home, and even if it sucks, well hey, there's beer!

#Comment V for Suck made: 2006-04-21 22:23:06.114559+00 by: Taylor Loy

(Hi! It's the guy who refilled your unsweet tea today at The Coffee Shop)

I just popped in and noticed the conVersation (sic). I agree whole-heartedly. The timeless struggle of Anarchism V. Government it is not. American Partisan hackery it is.

I've got a scheme to re-edit the entire film and record a new voice actor for V (though he did well with what he had) and put in as much as the original graphic novel that will fit. It actually might work. I mean, he's wearing a mask the whole time; We've got zero syncing problems.

Nice meeting you.

#Comment Re: made: 2006-04-22 17:46:07.367227+00 by: Dan Lyke

Hi Taylor! Cool idea, do something like "The Phantom Edit" with it. Keep me informed, I'd watch it!

#Comment Re: made: 2006-10-13 15:54:28.216736+00 by: ziffle [edit history]

Well, just having seen the DVD, I do not agree - completely. I found it has several wonderful things like the (stolen from Atlas Shrugged) taking over of the airwaves, and the underground hideaway with all the art and music for beauty.

It struck a nerve with me, seen from our politically correct world today. Governments trying to control our thinking so they can maintain control. It seemed to mirror my concerns about England today. Guy Fawkes lives! I loved the idea of the rebellion against government oppression - I think Europe, and later the US, are coming to civil war. His revenge was justified.

I did not like the lack of decisivness on the part of the girl. I did not like the mixture of the poor discussion of altruism as his reasons for his actions, nor the voice over by Gloria Steinam or MLK at the end. The comment about governments must fear people not the other way around was great. But in the end it was a mixed bag, philosophically, so I was dissapointed. It could have been so good had the writers understood philosophy.

Ziffle