It's dreadfully boring. For starters.
Viewed artistically, V for Vendetta is simply not there. It's a reflection. A phantom of better work. In a better world, it would sleep at the bottom of the B-Movie DVD rack. In a better world, V for Vendetta might only be heard from again in some cheap Sunday marathon.
But the point at hand is that we do not live in a better world.
And, as an Anarchist, I am distinctly aware of this. Would that I could address this movie through some lens of absolute artistic criticism. But V for Vendetta was never meant to stand on its own. Borrowed entirely from works such as 1984 and The Count Of Monte Cristo, neither is V for Vendetta an agile surrealist impression.
Instead of ponying up some direct political motivation, the movie occupies an uncomfortable middle ground. One might say it "cops out." If this attempt to straddle all artistic operandi ever demonstrates a particular agility it is one that smacks of sluggish and defensive fear rather than adroit ability. It fails as a stylish action flick. It fails as a nuanced and loving homage. It fails as a rebellious political film. And most of all it fails as a hybrid.
But it still falls to me to pull off and dissect what gristle remains. I am, as it is unfortunately relevant, an Anarchist. And there's just no getting around that crimson circle V. The twisted iconography makes this inevitable.
When Alan Moore wrote the original graphic novel (of which, I must admit, I only really read the first half) the alteration was both concise and understandable. Moore wanted to craft a quick English lovesong without the unbounded modern optimism of Bakunin, Goldman or de Cleyre. Moore wanted the droll Victorian conflict of the broken man. His narrative needed the nihilism of oily British sludge under wheel and the fiery passion of an antiglobalist Edmond Dantès. Moore moonlights as a literary fanboy so the alliterary and metaphorical power of the sharpened and inverted (V) was perfect. The balanced and intrepid (A) plummeted to coldest depth, unbalanced, inverted and cast down.
The frigid corpse of Anarchism's hope.
If one should but for a moment doubt my connection between such a fable and the popularly unwieldy yet historically vast political movement, one need only watch the damn thing. It's an upside-down circle-fucking-A. The masked protagonist is at his most adept when he's quoting our beloved dead old white guys. Hell, when Emma Goldman's infamous 'can't dance: no revolution' paraphrase is used to drive a dramatic scene just about my entire fucking theater groaned. I shit you not.
Article comments
1 - michael a
Even if it was a bad movie WHICH IT IS NOT, you must give it credit for having the balls to bring this story to the screen. This review by whomever wrote it plain inaccurate, of poor judgement and uneducated. You could not review a box of crackers. GO SEE THIS MOVIE.
2 - brien
okay how is this even a review? its just some rant by [Deleted] anarchist. most of it isn't even about the movie. its like a crash-course on this person's view of anarchism. somewhere along the line, dear william here got the impression that Vendetta was supposed to be some kind of pro-anarchy, riot-starting, dick-fest. while anarchism is used in the movie to an extent, to overthrow the government, it is not used to establish (if you even can "establish" anarchy) itself afterwords. the movie is about stopping tyrrany and not living in fear of your government. the reviewer tries to make accusations about how this movie "stole so much from the anarchist community", such as the "V" symbol stolen from the "A" anarchy symbol. are you fucking stupid? do you really think somebody would try to steal that and think no one would notice?! ITS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE THE ANARCHY SYMBOL!!! the director/writer is obviously trying to make a comparison between V's fight against tyrrany, and anarchists fight against...everything. The main difference here being that V's fight is justified and anarchists' fight is usually some unsupported campaign against whatever happens to be their target (much like the article itself). Vendetta was an EXCELLENT movie, and although i didn't read the books, and understand alot of the story is missing, it still seemed solid the whole way through. once again, the movie isn't supposed to support tearing down a stable and just government, its about rising against oppresion. this review was obviously biased, and hey, maybe i'm biased too and i just can't see it, but comparing it to a movement of an irrational philosophy is no way to inform people about a movie.
3 - jacob
V for Vendetta --in both comic and movie-- supported the tearing down of all governments. As all governments were considered unjust. Ya, Alan Moore was into the style more than the content. But that doesn't change a thing. Everyone is saying the movie is "unfocused" but they miss the politicl point. visit aforanarchy.org for more details.
4 - Tan The Man
I don't know why they played Cat Power - "I found a reason" in the middle of the movie. It's such a contemporary song that it didn't feel right. It messed up the pace and feel of the movie.
5 - jb
Interesting review, although I would say this review is mainly about the person writing it, than the film he watched.
Quote "What was that about our Tea Party you Tory Redcoat sonsofbitches? Here's your fucking legacy of democracy. Here's your elitist enlightened European tradition. Eat it. Eat it for fucking tea time you arrogant gits."
Lordy, I think that probably sums up the anger and highly subjective opinion of the reviewer - you almost dont need the film to be talked about, you could just have the reviewer ranting away.
Maybe then this is about a personal statement and position, rather than a review of a film - although it does start out as a review.
Maybe there is arguably an element of narcissism in all blog type media, but this review seems to be about showing how clever the reviewer is - and not even particularly how great anarchy is, or what didnt work with the film - and overall I found it hard to swallow because of it - you end up saying to yourself, oh, get over yourself already.
But who I am to comment, and maybe I am just plain wrong. One opinion, thats all.
6 - Dave Nalle
The anarchist 'movement' is a lot deader than you seem to realize.
Dave
7 - Victor Lana
So you enjoyed seeing Parliament being blown up? You almost drooled? How, uh, "quaint."
I think that's what some terrorists thought when they saw the movie Independence Day (when the White House was blown to smithereens by the aliens). Gave them ideas and then some.
I support artist expression all the time, but let's not give our "friends" around the world any cinematic incentive. They have enough of their own nefarious plans for us to deal with.
8 - Dr Luftwaffle
Comment #1 was more uneducated and ill-informed than the entirety of this review. The review, by the way, I half agreed with at most.
The main thing was, while V is a self proclaimed anarchist in the book, he is clearly justifying his violent acts in the movie to develope his country into a democracy. Its a Chomsky-esque anarchy, which only serves as the bridge to a peaceful and fair governing body by and for the people. Think American revolution. V is not an anarchist, he is a revolutionary.
The movie was a poorly written and raped version of Moore's poetic and only slightly disturbing vision of the future. Period. And the ending was absolutely appauling; the Wachowski 'brothers' (more accurately, brother and she-man) had no right or reason to take the liberties they did with the story. It was a sluggish and boring film, and was shot like an action film even at the dullest of moments.
9 - Dr Luftwaffle
And on a parting note, nobody had any 'balls' to release this story as a film. It was released by a heavily left-wing hollywood, and it shows. It was disgustingly self-righteous in its patriotic undertones, and it only raises important questions it you are a complete nonce who are only inspired to ask these important questions when sparked by mainstream films.
This was not supposed to be a 'we the people' kind of film. It was supposed to be an 'I the person'.
My advice, pick up a bloody book and actually learn something.
10 - William Gillis
It's poor form to respond to one's own review. The work should speak for itself. But I suppose I must admit failure in regards to the whole "take that, you brits" thing. Text does a poor job conveying tone and that's something I should work on.
My language in that passage was intended to be partially self-mocking. But also to explain I understand the political adrenaline involved in this movie. And I think that alone is driving the public's positive responses. But I don't think one can build a movie off of it.
Structurally it's a cheap mess. And politically it's also a cheap mess.
Just about anyone can dissect the structural flaws, but few reviewers have the experience to also dissect the politics at hand. If that's somewhat narcissistic, I agree.
11 - Reverend
True, narcissisitic, which is why this is on a blog.
12 - Paul
I have to agree with one this, the movie was boring. I felt at times like I was watching a ripp off of Pink Floyd The Wall when they showed the Chancellor speaking. The movie might have had more credit politically if they made it an anti-government movie and not an anti-Christian Conservative movie. I just expected more...
13 - N
#2 brien
As if you had read my mind. creepy man...
14 - awful film
V for vendetta is a truly atrocious film. It is a classic example of the kind of crap that comes out of hollywood these days that the majority of people absolutely love. I find it mind boggling that this aesthetically abismal film is so well liked. I could give 100 examples, but lets take the scene where V is being shot and kills like 10 guys with his knives. It's absolutely laughable. I get the impression that the whole film could have been V turding in front of a camera, and as long as it had a 300 million dollar budget and the V mask it would have been a similar success.
15 - awful film
By the way the only thing worse than this film is this review, you write like a 14 year old who thinks he knows everything.
16 - miranda
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17 - kiera dean
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