Tuesday, March 21, 2006
V for Vendetta is the film the Matrix sequels should have been.
"Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."
For those unfamiliar with the history, these words reference the famous Guy Fawkes gunpowder plot of November 5, 1605, in which Catholic conspirators (led by Fawkes) tried to blow up the palace of Westminster in England. The conspirators managed to place 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellar under Westminster while plotting to blow up King James I and the entire English Parliament. The Catholics had hoped then to end the Church of England and to place Elizabeth, the daughter of James I, on the throne as a Catholic ruler. But, Fawkes was arrested with the gunpowder in the tunnel under the palace before he could complete his act. The event is referenced in the beginning of the film with Fawkes arrest and subsequent hanging being shown.
V (Hugo Weaving, is it just me or can you not listen to Hugo without hearing, "Hello Mr. Anderson.") himself wears a Guy Fawkes mask throughout the film and his face is never shown. As symbolism goes it's illustrative of the fact that the man himself has been so consumed by his desire for radical societal change that he's become his ideas. No longer just a man, he is a symbol and thus that much harder to kill. He is a new kind of rebel, gleefully using terror as performance art. He forces us to ask the question, is V's morality merely ambiguous or just the right idea? Is terrorism the solution to a totalitarian state? Given the current climate, these are questions that strike you in the gut. Evy (Natalie Portman) becomes a sort of accomplice for V after he rescues her from the film's version of the secret police. It's interesting to watch her evolve from modest, obedient police state citizen, to tangental urban terrorist. Stephen Rea is also wonderful in his supporting turn as a police inspector charged with finding V, who finds out alot more about his government than he bargained for. Frankly he hasn't looked this shocked on celluloid since Fergus found out Dil had man tackle.
The real star of this film though are the settings, famous London sights, gritty back alleys, and my personal favorite the Shadow Gallery (V's Lair). The Gallery is a Cornucopia of pop culture delights. With references to everything from the 1812 overture, the Rolling Stones, the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Count of Monte Cristo (the original,folks) and more. There's enough visual and musical imagery to keep your head swimming for days.
The central message of this film is on the power of fear - the fear of war, of disease, of hunger. Fear is a basic tenet of human nature, and has been exploited as a weapon - a method of societal control - throughout history. And for those who practice its use, a masked man awaits you.
Vengeance anyone?
For those unfamiliar with the history, these words reference the famous Guy Fawkes gunpowder plot of November 5, 1605, in which Catholic conspirators (led by Fawkes) tried to blow up the palace of Westminster in England. The conspirators managed to place 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellar under Westminster while plotting to blow up King James I and the entire English Parliament. The Catholics had hoped then to end the Church of England and to place Elizabeth, the daughter of James I, on the throne as a Catholic ruler. But, Fawkes was arrested with the gunpowder in the tunnel under the palace before he could complete his act. The event is referenced in the beginning of the film with Fawkes arrest and subsequent hanging being shown.
V (Hugo Weaving, is it just me or can you not listen to Hugo without hearing, "Hello Mr. Anderson.") himself wears a Guy Fawkes mask throughout the film and his face is never shown. As symbolism goes it's illustrative of the fact that the man himself has been so consumed by his desire for radical societal change that he's become his ideas. No longer just a man, he is a symbol and thus that much harder to kill. He is a new kind of rebel, gleefully using terror as performance art. He forces us to ask the question, is V's morality merely ambiguous or just the right idea? Is terrorism the solution to a totalitarian state? Given the current climate, these are questions that strike you in the gut. Evy (Natalie Portman) becomes a sort of accomplice for V after he rescues her from the film's version of the secret police. It's interesting to watch her evolve from modest, obedient police state citizen, to tangental urban terrorist. Stephen Rea is also wonderful in his supporting turn as a police inspector charged with finding V, who finds out alot more about his government than he bargained for. Frankly he hasn't looked this shocked on celluloid since Fergus found out Dil had man tackle.
The real star of this film though are the settings, famous London sights, gritty back alleys, and my personal favorite the Shadow Gallery (V's Lair). The Gallery is a Cornucopia of pop culture delights. With references to everything from the 1812 overture, the Rolling Stones, the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Count of Monte Cristo (the original,folks) and more. There's enough visual and musical imagery to keep your head swimming for days.
The central message of this film is on the power of fear - the fear of war, of disease, of hunger. Fear is a basic tenet of human nature, and has been exploited as a weapon - a method of societal control - throughout history. And for those who practice its use, a masked man awaits you.
Vengeance anyone?
