Excellent

Rating: 10/10 (30 September 2013)

"Remember Remember the 5th of November." The opening line of narrative dialogue paired with the expositional sequence of Guy Fawkes' attempt to destroy Parliament gives the audience a chance to gather their wits and prepare for an epic tale, a ride on the edge of the seat. The graphic novel, by Alan Moore was adapted for the screen by ingenious film artists Lana and Larry Wachowski, the creators of The Matrix, V for Vendetta lives up to the reputation it has earned in nearly every way. From the intriguingly deft and intricate story to the personal characters who undergo dynamic development, the key elements of film are manifested in V for Vendetta.
Three characters, each with their own unique back stories and plot lines, carry the story and twist every bit of the audiences expectations throughout the film. The namesake of the film, a vigilante clad in black and donned with an iconic mask bearing a smile (Hugo Weaving), is the films primary protagonist and plot stimulant. The masked phantom, alleged 'V,' is introduced as and continues to play the part of a cold, calculating and manipulative terrorist who acts destructively against the futuristic fascist society towards an idealistic end. Despite his masked face, Weaving presents composure and intent devotion to V's objective through commanding body language and powerful diction until a young girl makes V question everything about himself. This youthful girl, Evey, performed masterfully by Natalie Portman, lives with obvious disregard for the government and its morals. As her back story is unveiled, however, she reveals her fear of repercussions and acts in betrayal. Following one of the greatest dynamic character developments ever, Evey is granted a choice to complete the plan V placed into motion. The anchor of the film, a British investigator named Finch (Stephen Rea), appears to be fully loyal to the dystopian government, but as the film progresses and he uproots secrets of the British Chancellors' actions, he begins to make his own decisions.
As phenomenal as the character development is, so is the relationships between characters in the film. Evey and V, outwardly appearing completely different, have parallel qualities of strong-willed confidence. From the reflected shots of V and Evey preparing themselves at their mirrors to the end of the film where they share life-changing experiences, the film makes exceptional use of parallelism to convey the similarities of the two protagonists. Ultimately, however, it is their one dominating difference that proves to be the most important; V, possessor of the violence and calculation required for the destruction of the old world contrasts Evey's gentle and compassionate characteristics which are the requirement for the creation of the new world. The excellent casting of these two hugely dynamic actors creates an equally dynamic contrast between the unique characters.
Visually, V for Vendetta is saturated with dynamic and artistic shots that create a unique vision of post-apocalyptic Britain. Much of the film's shots, including all exterior pans of the city use a blue filter to portray a sense of cold emptiness. During several flashbacks, scenes with historical art and music, and the titanic climax, the shots change drastically to filters with warm hues. Cinematographer Adrian Biddle uses variation of large, wide angle-lens shots for the big-picture views of the city and population and close up focus lenses for the intimate sequences between the characters. Dario Marianelli composes a truly excellent score for the film that is full of dynamic crescendos that rise and fall with the actors experiences.
The continuity of V for Vendetta is its strongest point. Director James McTeigue ingeniously weaves together the intimate and intricate character development of V, Evey, and Finch with the weight of the entire population's reactions. The primary weapon that the fascist rulers use to control the population is the machine of the media. When V ultimately turns their fault-proof universal broadcast system against them in order to speak to the people directly, we are able to follow the entire population's reactions throughout the film as the television broadcasts play in their homes. The population of Britain ultimately becomes its own dynamic character. The filmmakers reveal the magnitude of V's plan as he instigates the people to act.
V for Vendetta is definitely one of the most complex films I have ever seen; at times the film was even confusing. There are many minor characters, such as government officials, that are referred to throughout the film, and often hard to keep track of. The film required several viewings with complete and undeterred focus in order to keep track of every minute plot detail. It is definitely not a film to watch with friends you wish to have discussions with. My biggest problem with the film was its lack of closure in its ending. As colossal and impressive as it was, it leaves the audience with a lot of unanswered questions and a slightly anti-climactic story closure.
The film is definitely worth watching. It addresses questions and arguments that leaves most viewers with a lot to discuss. The film is a cinematic excellence, a work of art with its blend of sound, story, and shots. V for Vendetta remains visually vivid and vibrant, poses individuals of valiant valor and vicious villains, and presents to its viewers a venturous voyage of value.