Review - V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta . . . more like A for Amazing

I truly enjoyed this film. More than I thought I would, more than I thought I could.

One of the things that really struck me about the film V for Vendetta was the absolute beauty of it. There were points where I found myself just taking in the scenery and being amazed at what I saw before me. Such as the scene where you get to see V’s (Hugo Weaving) garden of Violet Carson roses, or his black and red domino signature, or perhaps even the man himself. He was quite beautiful in his own right - his ideas, his movements, his very person.

There were also some very powerful moments for me in the film. Like the realization that this totalitarian government that had taken over England lead by Adam Sutler (John Hurt) was comprised of religious zealots and power hungry politicians (gee, sound familiar?). A government who believed that their own views and morals should be thrust upon the general public and those who refused to comply would be black bagged - in other words be gone forever. A government who, to make the public agree with their views, committed horrible atrocities against their own people in the name of terrorism. A government who used the media to mask these atrocities and place a wicked spin on their actions. It is a terrific twist of irony that the government’s ultimate atrocity created their ultimate demise.

Enter Evey (Natalie Portman) whom V has saved originally from the Fingerman and another awful fate later in the film. He grows to love her and she him. She also grows to love his cause and what he stood for. It was interesting to me Evey’s progression from “good girl citizen #1" to the complete and total loss of her fear and ultimately her willingness to do what needed to be done no matter what the personal cost.

And others in the film got his message loud and clear as well as they marched on the 5th of November to parliament to see what V would do. One of the most powerful scenes in the film for me was to see the sea of masked citizens swarming through the streets of London. All fed up with what their society had become. Another powerful moment was when the masks were removed and we saw one by one, the reasons why V believed so strongly as he did.

This was a powerful film. Full of superb actors, a breathtaking atmosphere and a soundtrack that was overflowing with beauty. It was inspiring, terrifying, sad and hopeful all at the same time -see it, see it, see it.

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot."

Directed by
James McTeigue

Writing credits (WGA)
Andy Wachowski (screenplay) (as The Wachowski Brothers) &
Larry Wachowski (screenplay) (as The Wachowski Brothers)

Alan Moore (characters) and
David Lloyd (characters)

Cast (in credits order)
Natalie Portman .... Evey
Hugo Weaving .... V/William Rookwood
Stephen Rea .... Finch
Stephen Fry .... Deitrich
John Hurt .... Adam Sutler
Tim Pigott-Smith .... Creedy
Rupert Graves .... Dominic
Roger Allam .... Lewis Prothero
Ben Miles .... Dascomb
Sinéad Cusack .... Delia Surridge
Natasha Wightman .... Valerie
John Standing .... Lilliman
Eddie Marsan .... Etheridge
Clive Ashborn .... Guy Fawkes
Emma Field-Rayner .... Guy Fawkes Lover
Ian Burfield .... Tweed Coat Fingerman
Mark Phoenix .... Willy Fingerman
Alister Mazzotti .... Baldy Fingerman
Billie Cook .... Little Glasses Girl
Guy Henry .... Heyer
Cosima Shaw .... Patricia
Megan Gay .... BTN News Poppet
Roderic Culver .... BTN News Poppet (as Roderick Culver)
Tara Hacking .... Vicky
Andy Rashleigh .... Fred
Chad Stahelski .... Storm Saxon
Antje Rau .... Laser Lass
Amelda Brown .... Wardrobe Mistress
Richard Campbell .... Security Guard
Patricia Gannon .... Little Glasses Girl Mum
Mark Longhurst .... Little Glasses Girl Dad
Simon Holmes .... Barman
Charles Cork .... Barfly
John Ringham .... Old Man
Oliver Bradshaw .... Old Man
Jack Schouten .... Middle Class Boy
Caoimhe Murdock .... Middle Class Sister
Juliet Howland .... Middle Class Mum
Brin Rosser .... TV Executive
Raife Patrick Burchell .... Studio Technician (as Raife Burchell)
Joseph Rye .... Jones
Adrian Finighan .... News Anchor
Malcolm Sinclair .... Major Wilson
Radley Steve Ford .... Evey's Brother
Madeleine Rakic-Platt .... Young Evey
Selina Giles .... Evey's Mother
Carsten Hayes .... Evey's Father
Derek Hutchinson .... Bureaucrat
Martin Savage .... Denis
Grant Burgin .... Operator
Gregory Donaldson .... Operator (as Greg Donaldson)
Imogen Poots .... Young Valerie
Jason Griffiths .... Biology Teacher
Laura Greenwood .... Sarah
Kyra Meyer .... Christina
Paul Antony-Barber .... Valerie's Father
Anna Farnworth .... Valerie's Mother
Mary Stockley .... Ruth
Simon Newby .... Tube Station News Poppet
David Merheb .... Young man
Daniel Donaldson .... Young Black Detainee
Dulcie Smart .... Civil War News Poppet
Ben Posener .... Water Shortage News Poppet
Ian T. Dickinson .... Avian Flu News Poppet
Sophia New .... Quarantine News Poppet
Julie Brown .... Three Waters News Poppet
Gerard Gilroy .... Surveillance Man
Eamon Geoghegan .... Surveillance Man
Matthew Bates .... Finch's Fedco Man
David Leitch .... Convenience Store V
Matt Wilkinson .... Little Glasses Girl Fingerman
Martin McGlade .... Victoria Station Fingerman
Richard Laing .... Parliament Lieutenant
Michael Simkins .... Parliament General
William Tapley .... Radio Man

rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christopher Fosh .... V Follower
Gordon Gram .... V Follower V110
Keith How .... V Follower
Forbes KB .... Futuristic Soldier
Peter Ryder .... V man
David Decio .... V Street Vigilante (uncredited)
Nicolas de Pruyssenaere .... Marshal (uncredited)
David Hood .... V Follower (uncredited)
Mathis Landwehr .... Bodyguard (uncredited)