"1984" gone mainstream

Rating: Null/10 (29 October 2009)

While watching V for Vendetta recently, I couldn't help getting a distinct feeling I'd seen something very similar before. And I had, it was a few months earlier and it was called 1984.
1984 isn't as easy to grasp as V for Vendetta. You need to go into the plot to understand what's going on. V for Vendetta makes that a whole lot easier by adding a villain which anyone can get to know and a main character who goes from being conformist to oppositional through the course of the film. In addition there is an ultimate goal instead of the entire film just being a description of life in an completely authoritarian state.
This is all very nice, unfortunately V for Vendetta fails to impress.
The symbolism of November 5th is at times taken too far. Despite the entire plot being built around Guy Fawkes and the blowing up of the parliament, the reasons behind it are too weak to make an entire film out of it. Having said that, I'm sure films have been built on less. Furthermore, the idea of a villain who's there to save the world, or in this case, Britain, has been severely worn out by now. As always, the villain is hiding behind a mask. Why?
All in all, if you liked and understood "1984", you'll be disappointed.