V For Vendetta

[Ghostboy]

So I saw it again, and being fully sane and critical this time around, I had some big problems with it. I admire the hell out of it, but it's far from the perfect adaptation I thought I saw. I'll be writing a more detailed response to it over the next few days...because I do feel that it's very much worth seeing and discussing, despite its flaws.

there's the pompous speech he gives at the beggining with  every word that starts with v in a pocket english dictionary. that's not in the comic, that's just show-off. i he's more of a moralist in the comic too, he condemns the anarchy he sort of puts the country through and you don't get that.

I still really liked the V speech; it's in keeping with the mysteriously flamboyant character in the comic, who speaks in endless streams of quotes and clever platitudes, which actually might have grown pretty tiresome if they'd been included in the film. Also, in the comic, Finch has a bit of a v-word fixation towards the end...granted, he's on tons of drugs in that scene, but it is in there. Sort of.

Also, he doesn't condemn anarchy at all in the comic; he's clearly a full blooded anarchist. What he DOES condemn is the chaos that he causes (and he makes no mistake in differentiating between chaos and anarchy). The problem with the film here is that, at the end, there's neither chaos nor anarchy.

But anway, more later, in the form of a link.

[grand theft sparrow]

Saw this earlier tonight.  I was definitely more impressed with it than I anticipated being.  But Alan Moore was definitely right to take his name off of it; the Wachowskis added and took out so much that it's more their story than Moore's now.  For a Hollywood movie, it's edgy, but had they been even a little more faithful to the novel (particularly in the last act), it might have been amazing.  What it did do successfully is capture the spirit of Moore's novel, if not the depth.

Walrus' comment about it being the Crash of anarchy is a bit harsh; maybe if they thought they were making anything more than a popcorn flick, then yeah, but V never pretends it's something it's not.

And Portman was phenomenal.  The accent didn't drop out as much as I had heard it did.

[cron]

Also, he doesn't condemn anarchy at all in the comic; he's clearly a full blooded anarchist. What he DOES condemn is the chaos that he causes (and he makes no mistake in differentiating between chaos and anarchy). The problem with the film here is that, at the end, there's neither chaos nor anarchy.

But anway, more later, in the form of a link.

you're right ghostboy, i confused those two terms . wooops , kind of renders all of my opinions (even more) pointless.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

Walrus' comment about it being the Crash of anarchy is a bit harsh; maybe if they thought they were making anything more than a popcorn flick, then yeah, but V never pretends it's something it's not.

All I was trying to say was that V was about as blunt as it gets.  I guess it was some sort of stepping stone for people to get into anarchy or something, but I feel that V for Vendetta is destined to have similar fame of Matrix and Fight Club.

[matt35mm]

Eh.  This was a collection of things I've seen and heard before in movies.  Plus it could have been directed better (I also thought the editing was unnecessarily choppy).  Portman was good, though, even if I felt she didn't really fit.

B-

[Ghostboy]

Here's my initial assemblage of thoughts.

[w/o horse]

It was pretty boring and silly though I did somehow find myself attracted to the relationship between V and Evey.  But it was a two hour plus movie and I left with a feeling of 'They had a nice time together, that's cool.'

I also thought the camera was average and typical.  Blah all around.

Probably the best hero based comic book movie I can think of, though.  Not a waste of my time necessarily.

[modage]

Title: V for Vendetta
Released: 1st August 2006
SRP: $28.98 & $34.99

Further Details:
Warner Home Video has sent over artwork for single and double-disc editions of V for Vendetta which stars Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving and John Hurt. Each will be available to own from the 1st August. The single-disc edition will retail at around $28.98, with the two-disc special edition retailing at $34.99. Each will carry a 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, along with English Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks. I'm afraid Warner has yet to reveal the extra material for this one - but we'll bring you further details shortly. Stay tuned for that. For now though, here's our first look at the official region one package artwork: http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/v-for-vendetta.html
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i want to say that i really hate this 2 versions bullshit.  and for movies like this which i liked but didnt love, it makes me buy neither version.  because i dont want the shitty one and its not worth spending that much for the good version.  so  wb marketing dept.

[RegularKarate]

2 Versions is a good deal.  It gives people more options... how is that bad?

[modage]

the better version is always $25+ for what used to be $20 for a 2 disc standard SE.  you're paying more money and getting the same thing you used to get for less.  how is that better?

[RegularKarate]

I find that the price difference when they first come out is usually only a few dollars, but I see what you're saying.

[picolas]

this is pretty much crap.

spoils for movie and book

- mostly because of horrible writing. this is the kind of movie where someone walks into a room, the lights go off for no reason, and they look into the camera and say "why have the lights just gone off for no reason? note that i walked into this room."
- john hurt. it's as though he was trained by the guidance counselor from mr. show. his performance is basically yelling a lot, all the time, no matter what, and putting as much effort and strain into every syllable as possible. so rather than being intimidating he's more embarassing/unpleasant. in the scene where he's supposed to be parodying his character, he's just doing the same thing. his death scene is the one variation, where he puts as much effort and strain into a sustained whince as possible, over and over. that scene is also bad because he's clearly not listening to v. he's just whincing a lot, yet v keeps talking. portman does this in another scene. and i think the reverend does it as well. it makes v seem like he's not paying attention. much of the other acting was bad as well. for example finch, who's very uninterested in everything. and weaving uses his head to gesture because we can't see his face, but it's a very unrealistic amount of head movement.
- no one believes the fake news reports, including a child who has no apparent reason not to believe them, so the government doesn't seem very powerful at all.
- some kind of satirical benny hill program hosted by stephen fry is constantly cut away from to people laughing. this suggests to me that the people editing the movie understood that the satirical program was shitty. so shitty they thought a montage of people laughing at something the audience can't see would be better than showing the something. not that they don't show it. it's just there's way more laughter than stuff the wachowskis want us to laugh at.
- the speech with every letter that begins with v is impossible to follow. v comes off as desperate. he's also way more... caring about his influence over others. particularly evey. in the book, i never felt he was seeking anyone's approval. it weakens him.
- i wish they had let evey become v. that was such a great part of the book. and i wish v had died after being shot once or twice.
- there are so many parts of the movie that are supposed to be symbolic like the part where v gets shot a thousand times but survives because ideas are bullet proof or the part where people take off their masks like dominos, but they don't make sense as real things that are happening. people don't remove their masks in an organized sequence. v can't survive a thousand bullets.
- the domino sequence was pretty beautiful, except i don't know why he set up the dominos. worked better in the book. there are a couple of cool moments like that. like when v stabs the guy off camera and it's all silent and then he turns around. then the fainting guy ruins it. the cool moments are better out of context, though.

[MacGuffin]

Source: Comic Book Resources

Warners are looking for writers and treatments for a proposed "V For Vendetta" direct-to-DVD sequel projects to be filmed, low budget, in the UK next year. Naturally without the Wachowskis or Joel Silver who made a point of saying the original movie was a one off.

[polkablues]

Source: Comic Book Resources

Warners are looking for writers and treatments for a proposed "V For Vendetta" direct-to-DVD sequel projects to be filmed, low budget, in the UK next year. Naturally without the Wachowskis or Joel Silver who made a point of saying the original movie was a one off.

That sound you hear is Alan Moore tightening the noose around his neck.

[Ravi]

I can't wait until they get to V for Vendetta V.