"V for Vendetta" has been written and co-produced by the Wachowskis, Andy and Lana, whose "Matrix" movies also were about rebels holding out against a planetary system of control. According to the Los Angeles Times, "With a wealth of new, real-life parallels to draw from in the areas of government surveillance, torture, fear mongering and media manipulation, not to mention corporate corruption and religious hypocrisy, you can't really blame the filmmakers for having a field day referencing current events." Does not rise to meet the expectations set to it, Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020. His physical abilities are unexpected results of myriad experiments performed on many if not all of Larkhill's detainees (apparently, only V got any benefit from the gruesome experiments). After Gordon satirizes the government on his show, his home is raided, and Evey is captured. Alan Moore's original story was created as a response to British Thatcherism in the early 1980s and was set as a conflict between a fascist state and anarchism, while the film's story has been changed by the Wachowskis to fit a modern US political context. He leaves it to Evey to decide whether to use it. Alan Moore, however, charged that, in doing so, the story has turned into an American-centric conflict between liberalism and neoconservatism, and abandons the original anarchist–fascist themes. V for Vendetta is a 2005 film about a tragic political cooler, coordinated by James McTeague and composed by Wachowski, and based on the 1988 limited edition DC / Vertigo Comics with a similar name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. That's what is absent from Hollywood's interpretation. V hijacks a BTN broadcast to claim responsibility for the destruction, encouraging the people of Britain to rebel against their government and meet him on next year's Guy Fawkes Night outside the Houses of Parliament. A movie about democracy dictatorship fascism and revolt, Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2020. She also had her head shaved on camera during a scene in which her character is tortured. V for Vendetta deals with issues of totalitarianism, criticism of religion, homosexuality, Islamophobia and terrorism. V For Vendetta was a warning to society about facism and that warning came utterly true this year," said a fan of the film. The slogan "Strength through Unity. [23][24] The Homeland Security Advisory System and rendition are also referenced. (In both stories, the hero escapes an unjust and traumatic imprisonment and spends decades preparing to take vengeance on his oppressors under a new persona. In the film, h… V staged her imprisonment to free her from her fears. Moore states that "[t]here wasn't a mention of anarchy as far as I could see. [53] As of September 2018, the film has grossed over $62 million from DVD and Blu-ray sales in the United States. (This fact owes to the post-9/11 association of Islam and the Middle East with terrorism, combined with the fact that British Muslims far outnumber British Jews. In a future British tyranny, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of \"V\", plots to overthrow it with the help of a young woman. Due to the ill effects of worldwide famine, disease and a devastating war, the government has morphed from a democracy into a fascist dictatorship. [48] Making V for Vendetta" and the film's theatrical trailer, whereas the two-disc special edition contains three additional documentaries, and several extra features for collectors. V for Vendetta is an action-thriller film primarily set in the Jordan Tower, where Evey Hammond works. Some of the works of art displayed in the gallery include The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian, a Mildred Pierce poster, St. Sebastian by Andrea Mantegna, The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse and statues by Giacometti. [34], To film the final scene at Westminster, the area from Trafalgar Square and Whitehall up to Parliament and Big Ben had to be closed for three nights from midnight until 5 am. Unity through Faith" is displayed prominently across London, similar in cadence to "War is Peace. It’s lasting effect can be seen in protests across the world where people where V masks. It centres on V (portrayed by Hugo Weaving), an anarchist and masked freedom fighter who attempts to ignite a revolution through elaborate terrorist acts, and Evey Hammond (portrayed by Natalie Portman) a young, working-class woman caught up in V's mission. However, Graeber went on to state: "Anarchy is about creating communities and democratic decision making. On November 4, a vigilante in a Guy Fawkes mask, "V," rescues Evey Hammond, an employee of state-run British Television Network, from members of the "Fingermen" secret police. V for Vendetta directed by James Mcteigue demonstrates the rebellion against injustice of an oppressing government of England in the late 2020s. Sign in to see videos available to you. [66] The film was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form in 2007. 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,359. Moore said that the script contained plot holes[30] and that it ran contrary to the theme of his original work, which was to place two political extremes (fascism and anarchism) against one another. Mortally wounded from the hail of gunfire during the battle, V staggers to the tunnel where Evey is waiting, admits he loves her before dying in her arms. By the end of 2006, 3,086,073 DVD units had been sold, bringing in slightly more than its production cost with $58,342,597. "[74], The film was broadcast on China's national TV station, China Central Television (CCTV) on 16 December 2012 completely uncensored,[75] surprising many viewers. [59] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political action film directed by James McTeigue and written by the Wachowskis, based on the 1988 DC limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. Targeting St. Mary's School, a tube station and a water treatment plant, the virus killed more than 100,000 people and was blamed on a terrorist organisation. [27] The film was originally scheduled for release on the weekend of 5 November 2005, the Plot's 400th anniversary, with the tag line "Remember, remember the 5th of November", taken from a traditional British rhyme memorialising the event. The two share a brief romance before Gordon is killed by a Scottish gang. Beethoven's Symphony No.5 also plays an important role in the film, with the first four notes of the first movement signifying the letter "V" in Morse code. V for Vendetta is a dystopian novel that takes place in England in 1997. [33], V for Vendetta was filmed in London, England, and in Potsdam, Germany, at Babelsberg Studios. Finch finds Evey placing V's body aboard the train. Everyone is complicit in this kind of stuff. Initially enraged, Evey realizes she has become stronger. On 17 April 2006, the New York Metro Alliance of Anarchists organised a protest against DC Comics and Time Warner, accusing it of watering down the story's original message in favour of violence and special effects. [38], There are several fundamental differences between the film and the original source material. [54], The film was also successful in terms of merchandise sales, with hundreds of thousands of Guy Fawkes masks from the film having been sold every year since the film's release, as of 2011. "[70], Film critic Richard Roeper dismissed right-wing Christian criticism of the film on the television show Ebert and Roeper, saying that V's "terrorist" label is applied in the film "by someone who's essentially Hitler, a dictator. [15] Chiefly, the original graphic novel has the fascists elected legally and kept in power through the general apathy of the public, whereas the film introduces the "St. Mary's virus", a biological weapon engineered and released by the Norsefire Party as a means of clandestinely gaining control over their own country. The story focuses upon the struggle against fascism. Sex and race, because they are easy and visible differences, have been the primary ways of organising human beings into superior and inferior groups and into the cheap labour on which this system still depends." David Lloyd stated: "The Guy Fawkes mask has now become a common brand and a convenient placard to use in protest against tyranny – and I'm happy with people using it, it seems quite unique, an icon of popular culture being used this way."[6]. [43], A novelisation of the film, written by Steve Moore and based on the Wachowskis' script, was published by Pocket Star on 31 January 2006. Also like Hitler, Sutler is a racial purist, although Jews have been replaced by Arabs and Muslims as the focus of Norsefire ethnoreligious propaganda and persecution. [2][13] It opened for general release on 17 March 2006 in 3,365 cinemas in the United States, the United Kingdom and six other countries. Norsefire used the fear and chaos to elevate Sutler to the office of High Chancellor, win an overwhelming majority in Parliament, and profit off the cure for the virus. 1: The Alan Moore interview", "Natalie Portman and Joel Silver Talk About "V for Vendetta, "Natalie Portman's 'V for Vendetta' Postponed", "V for Vendetta graphic novel is a US Bestseller", "Warner Announces V for Vendetta for Blu-ray (Updated)", "Warner Bros. will release 'V For Vendetta' in sparking 4K for the first time in November", "V for Vendetta Posts Strong IMAX Opening", "Story and Symbol: V for Vendetta and OWS", "How Time Warner Profits from the 'Anonymous' Hackers", "Masked Protesters Aid Time Warner's Bottom Line", "Empire's the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time", "Rotten Tomatoes: Ebert & Roeper: "V for Vendetta" Dark, Thoughtful, And That's Good", "V for Vendetta: A Brave, Bold Film for Gays and Lesbians", "Confused, not thought through: V for Vendetta", "China shocked after 'v for vendetta' aired on national tv", "Detailed V For Vendetta Soundtrack Music Information", "Soundtrack Review: V for Vendetta by Dario Marianelli (2006)", "SCOOP: Channel 4 Developing A 'V For Vendetta' TV Series", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=V_for_Vendetta_(film)&oldid=994435532, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 December 2020, at 18:33. [31] Per his wishes, Moore's name does not appear in the film's closing credits. "[58] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 62 out of 100 based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Inspirational in it's own way, but also a terrifying punch to the gut. V for Vendetta is a dystopian movie, directed by James McTeigue. Freedom is Slavery. [19][20] V and the Phantom both wear masks to hide their disfigurements, control others through the leverage of their imaginations, have tragic pasts, and are motivated by revenge. Related: Why The Help Is a Bad Black Lives Matter Movie Released in 2005, directed by James McTeigue, and produced by the Wachowskis, V For Vendetta was a major hit worldwide that became a symbol for real-world political resistance. The film is set in an alternative future where a Nordic supremacist and neo-fascist totalitarian regime has subjugated the United Kingdom. V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political action film directed by James McTeigue and written by the Wachowskis,[b] based on the 1988 DC limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. View All Photos (55) ... and in 2015 I starred in my first film, "The Salt Flats". Like the so-called Führer, Sutler is given to hysterical speech. When she says she would rather die, she is released, finding herself in V's home. The time limitations of a film meant that the story had to omit or streamline some of the characters, details, and plotlines from the original story. [40] The filmmakers have denied this, saying that the delays were due to the need for more time to finish the visual effects production. As November 5 nears, V distributes thousands of Guy Fawkes masks. [42] The film renewed interest in Alan Moore's original story, and sales of the original graphic novel rose dramatically in the United States. This new hardline government uses excessive force and extreme measures to keep the population in line. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The 2006 film adaptation of the graphic novel starred Hugo Weaving as V. In the film, V is a freedom fighter rather than an anarchist terrorist. The fascism had been completely defanged. Blu-ray. Finch meets William Rookwood, who tells him about the program. V takes Evey to his home, where she is told she must remain for one year. From the Wachowski brothers and Joel Silver,the masterminds behind TheMatrix trilogy,comes another intriguing,action-packed fantasy-thriller.The premise: Great Britain has become a fascist state. Inspector Finch of Scotland Yard investigates V's activities. There are also references to an avian flu pandemic,[22] as well as pervasive use of biometric identification and signal-intelligence gathering and analysis by the regime. [67] V was included on Fandomania's list of The 100 Greatest Fictional Characters. V for Vendetta Giftset (Amazon/Film Book/4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) Natalie Portman. [29], The film adopts extensive imagery from the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, in which a group of Catholic conspirators plotted to destroy the then Houses of Parliament in order to spark a revolution in England. It’s lasting effect can be seen in protests across the world where people where V masks. It really is a revolution. The climax of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture appears at the end of the track "Knives and Bullets (and Cannons too)". Claim: The 2005/2006 film V for Vendetta was set in the year 2020, and its premise was the use of a virus to control populations. The film led the U.S. box office on its opening day, taking in an estimated $8,742,504, and remained the number one film for the remainder of the weekend, taking in an estimated $25,642,340. In the novel, Gordon is a small-time criminal who takes Evey into his home after V abandons her on the street. "Rewatch it again to see. [49] The film also saw release on Sony's PSP UMD format. V for Vendetta has been seen by many political groups as an allegory of oppression by government; anarchists have used it to promote their beliefs. He wears the mask to hide his physical scars, and in obscuring his identity – he becomes the idea itself. V meets Creedy, with whom he made a deal to surrender in exchange for Sutler's execution. There are several plot deviations. The name Adam Sutler is intentionally similar to Adolf Hitler. But not just Fox. We felt the novel was very prescient to how the political climate is at the moment. The film creates parallels to Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo, by drawing direct comparisons between V and Edmond Dantès. Film critics, political commentators and other members of the media have also noted the film's numerous references to events surrounding the George W. Bush administration in the United States. As its own entity, V for Vendetta is a solid early-2000s dystopian action film. So I think that the film and the graphic novel are two separate entities." Thus, considerable effort was made to bring together lighting, acting, and Weaving's voice to create the proper mood for the situation. [22] There is also the state's use of mass surveillance, such as closed-circuit television, on its citizens - reminiscent of the comprehensive mass surveillance systems currently deployed throughout the UK. Furthermore, in the original story, Moore attempted to maintain moral ambiguity, and not to portray the fascists as caricatures, but as realistic, rounded characters. The note was indeed real, secretly passed from Valerie to V when he was imprisoned at Larkhill. V for Vendetta is a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd (with additional art by Tony Weare). Dann M Super Reviewer Jun 29, 2013 [29] He ended cooperation with his publisher, DC Comics, after its corporate parent, Warner Bros., failed to retract statements about Moore's supposed endorsement of the film. At the end of the film, he says that he has fallen in love with Evey. [41] V for Vendetta had its first major premiere on 11 December 2005, at Butt-Numb-A-Thon, followed by a premiere on 13 February 2006 at the Berlin Film Festival. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. Evey Hammond's transformation as V's protégée is also much more drastic in the novel than in the film. [56][57], On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 73% approval rating based on 248 reviews, with an average rating of 6.78/10. The scenes that took place in the abandoned London Underground were filmed at the disused Aldwych tube station. [50] The film was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray on 3 November 2020. [19][20][21], As a film about the struggle between freedom and the state, V for Vendetta takes imagery from many classic totalitarian icons both real and fictional, including the Third Reich, the Soviet Union under Stalin and George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. [52], DVD sales were successful, selling 1,412,865 DVD units in the first week of release which translated to $27,683,818 in revenue. But it fails as a critique of capitalism or the nanny state. [78] As mentioned in the film, these songs are samples of the 872 blacklisted tracks on V's Wurlitzer jukebox that V "reclaimed" from the Ministry of Objectionable Materials. The film V for Vendetta is set in 2027 while the graphic novel series sets its scene in 1997. Warn went on to praise the central role of the character Valerie "not just because it is beautifully acted and well-written, but because it is so utterly unexpected [in a Hollywood film]. Titled V for Vendetta: From Script to Film, it was published by Universe on 22 August 2006. Violent Content. $35.08. While many believed that the government had banned the film, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television stated that it was not aware of a ban; CCTV makes its own decisions on whether to censor foreign films. "[72], LGBT commentators have praised the film for its positive depiction of gay people. After Creedy executes Sutler, V kills Creedy and his men. [28] The Wachowskis were fans of V for Vendetta and in the mid-1990s, before working on The Matrix, wrote a draft screenplay that closely followed the graphic novel. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Shooting made a beeline for the beginning of March 2005 and head photography completely wrapped by early June 20… James McTeigue cites the film The Battle of Algiers as his principal influence in preparing to film V for Vendetta. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. [55] Time Warner owns the rights to the image and is paid a fee with the sale of each official mask. Stephen Rea portrays a detective leading a desperate quest to stop V. Produced by Silver Pictures, Virtual Studios and Anarchos Productions Inc., V for Vendetta was originally scheduled for release by Warner Bros. Pictures on 4 November 2005 (a day before the 400th Guy Fawkes Night), but was delayed; it instead opened in the United States on 17 March 2006 to mostly positive reviews from critics and was a box office success. Subsequent collected editions have been typically published under DC's more specialized imprint, Vertigo. Thousands of citizens wearing Guy Fawkes masks march toward the Houses of Parliament. These include the hoods and sacks worn by the prisoners in Larkhill that have been seen as a reference to the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. Political opponents, immigrants, Jews, Muslims, atheists, homosexuals, and other "undesirables" are imprisoned and executed. [60], Ebert and Roeper gave the film a "two thumbs up" rating. [5], The cast and filmmakers attended several press conferences that allowed them to address issues surrounding the film, including its authenticity, Alan Moore's reaction to it and its intended political message. Although at the time it was reported this was because of difficulties wearing the mask for the entire film,[10] he later stated this was not the case. V for Vendetta Movie trailer (2005) - Plot synopsis: In a future British tyranny, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow it with the help of a young woman.Director: James McTeigueWriters: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, David LloydStars: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John HurtSet in an alternative future where a … It's a very compelling view of a dystopian future that seems disturbingly possible, especially right now. "[65], V for Vendetta received few awards, although at the 2007 Saturn Awards Natalie Portman won the Best Actress award.