Remember, Remember...

God, I love V for Vendetta, the 2006 adaptation of the comic book written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but those elements that work far outshine the negative issues…to the point where it was my favourite film of that year.

So, the negative stuff first:-
1/ Director James McTiegue is not a great, visionary film-maker. He's a protégée of the Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix) who also wrote Vendetta, and that shows in some outstanding sequences. But much of the film is helmed with a solid, workmanlike efficiency, and that's a style which dominates his other efforts Ninja Assassin and Invasion.
2/ For a film that's set in Britain, there's a U.S. bent to the script that's a little unwelcome. Eggy In A Basket might be a common breakfast dish in the States, but it should have no place here.
3/ Natalie Portman's British accent isn't entirely convincing. It's not quite natural in the way that Gwyneth Paltrow or Angelina Jolie have a habit of repeatedly nailing. Don't get me wrong, hers is a powerful and subtle performance, completely commanding the screen and serving the story 200%, but the accent niggles.

And that's it really, with only McTiegue’s style diluting a near-masterpiece of cinema (the other two are just fickle observations). But the rest is so, so right. And this is why:-

1/ The cast are hugely impressive with Hugo Weaving eating up the screen as masked revolutionary "V". Recasting poor James Purefoy with Weaving was a masterstroke. With his face completely covered for the entire running time, Weaving projects the whole human experience of emotions via vocal control and body language. Through his expressive work we get to see both the film's hero (outwitting and punishing the dictatorial political leadership) and the film's villain (a murderer, torturer and terrorist). The remainder of the cast are made up of the cream of British stage and screen ably supporting Portman and Weaving. Bonus points to John Hurt for his ranting, uncompromising dictator and Stephen Rea for his world weary but determined senior cop.

2/ It's an exploration of moral lines and where those lines are. Question are raised about the delicate subject of terrorism. At what point does a freedom fighter become a terrorist...and vice versa? Does the good of the many outweigh the good of the few, and if so, does that make murder a legitimate tool to achieve freedom? Should torture be used to manipulate a victim, even if it helps them achieve a mental and spiritual peace?

3/ It's a film about the concept of 'ideas' themselves which is explored in a few different ways. As V explains, ideas can be represented through symbols...which people give meaning to. The more people who give meaning to a symbol, the more meaning is given to the idea too. V himself is a symbol, masked for the entire movie, and therefore becomes an idea on which we, and the film-maker, can project their concept or understanding of what V represents.

4/ Vendetta also examines faith and religion. In the context of the totalitarian state represented here, religion is used by the government to control the population. Using propaganda posters and slogans, “Strength through unity. Unity through faith.” linking the government to religion and suggesting it’s the only way “England will prevail”, Chancellor Sutler and his goons can control the state with a ruthless efficiency.
Again, it boils down to an idea; in this case the idea force fed upon a population that a ruling body, united through a shared face, can reward with a safe country.

But the film also explores faith, without interference by an institution, like the government or a church. V teaches Evey, in a couple of the film’s most cinematic and powerful moments, that having faith in ones own ideas can allow you to live freely, without fear. She discovers that staying true to those ideas (or beliefs), without betraying or corrupting them by maintaining your integrity, can allow you to live your life with calm and clarity, even when faced with opposition and repression.

5/ Another reason I like it so much is it’s theme of sticking up to those in power and doing what’s right, rather than do what’s expected of you. It’s a big ol’ finger to those in power and it revels in it’s anti authoritarianism.

6/ The movie has a very strong mythological structure in it‘s plot. All good myths have a hero that has the power to change the world, but V For Vendetta has two. V himself uses his terrorist acts to change the future of England forever, but he soon realises that he must share that power with Evey also. Myths also require their heroes to die, and be reborn with a clarity of purpose… and both heroes do here. V is reborn in the flames that scarred him, in his escape from the Lark Hill Detention Facility. Evey’s rebirth comes with assistance from V, as she realises that she’s looked death in the eye and hasn’t submitted. You can even argue that Guy Falkes himself (as depicted in the pre-title sequence) also conforms to the myth, as he’s reborn (well, his ideas are anyway) in both V and Evey. It’s great stuff.

7/ While McTiege’s direction is generally quite workmanlike, the film is bolstered by a great, great story that’s lifted into the stratosphere by four extremely powerful set-pieces in the final hour. The first two depict Evey’s transformation from frightened and repressed citizen to a composed and enlightened individual. Part one has an imprisoned Evey reading the autobiography of Valerie, a former prisoner who, it’s revealed, has been executed. However, Valerie imparts her idea that retaining your beliefs and integrity are far more important than submitting to death. It’s a perfectly constructed montage sequence, inter-cutting Evey’s torture with flashback shots of Valeries life. It’s perfectly narrated, beautifully scored and one of the most powerful sequences I’ve seen committed to celluloid.

In a set-piece that has nearly as much impact, Evey digests what she has learnt and embraces this new idea. In the Valerie monologue, it’s stated that “God is in the rain”. Of course, the rain is symbolic. When Evey embraces the rain, you could say she’s embracing God. Except that here, God is faith, and that faith is in the idea that has been given to her by Valerie. What Evey really embraces is an idea; a world view.
And it’s incredible well handled.

The third set piece in yet another montage as Stephen Rea’s detective muses how V’s terrorist threat will come to pass, this time inter-cutting with V staging some toppling dominos, symbolically representing the effect he will on the country.

The final, powerful sequence is the movie’s climax as the Guy Fawkes masked masses converge on parliament. Stirring stuff.

So not quite perfect, but not far off. It’s by no means a subtle examination of the political and social problems plaguing America, but it does the job. It’s not as an accomplished piece of direction as if it would have been if the Wachowski’s had helmed it, but no matter. If they had, maybe some of the exquisite artistic choices of editing, performance, editing and score would have been lost. And that’s just not worth thinking about.