V for Vendetta Analysis

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2015)

V for Vendetta tells the story of a girl, rescued from rape by a masked man calling himself "V". Set against the totalitarianism in Britain, V ignites a revolution when detonates a memorial building in London. Skilled in deception and martial arts, he urges the citizens of Britain to rise up against the tyranny of the parliament.
V for Vendetta is not just a regular Hollywood thriller movie. According to James Barardinelli(2005) this film is full of ideas, giving the viewers things to think about. The ideological context of the movie is how a society, a whole country can be enslaved by the political system. How without a war you can possess people's minds and you can make them slaves of the totalitarian regime. MaryAnn Johanson (2005) says that: "The movie asks questions about the price we are willing to pay by giving up freedom to feel safe. The source of people's obedience is the fear. Fear of what will happen if they rise against the regime and lose. This is the time when the country meets "V". He is reflection of both the society and the parliament. Person who is strong, mysterious and with clear idea, his only purpose is to remove the totalitarianism and free the people. V's mask is a caricature of Fawkes's face who attempted to blow the British parliament in November 5 1605, but fail. Not by a coincidence V's plan is the same. MaryAnn Johanson (2005) says that : "He is Batman and the Joker all at once". It is like that because he appears like a saviour for a young girl, and at the next moment committing a crime on his own. The movie reflects a socio-political condition. According to Peter Travers (2005) The film is inspired by ideas which are not "computer generated". This means that the ideas are real and can be helpful in some way in our life. There are events that had happened years before in almost all European countries. The movie reminds me a lot of the Stalinism and Stalin's way of controlling the country. There are 2 particular scenes in the movie which I would like to discuss in connection with the reflection of the socio-political conditions. The first scene is the one, when V shows his face for first time on the television. He is called a terrorist by the government and chase by the police, militaries and everything that serve the parliament. The question is why? Is it because he blew up an old building? No, it is because he has an idea, idea that can change not only the people but the whole world. According to Claudia Puig (2005) "This multi- layered movie should be appreciated by it's deeper message about personal responsibility, political oppression and revolutionary change. In his first appearance on the TV, nobody believes in "V" , deep inside this is the structure of the totalitarianism. You don't believe in anyone who is not part of the parliament, and everyone who has other views is being chased down and in most cases killed. That is why the government is frightened of his appearance. Other fact which is actually a part of our life even now is the covering of cases. In the movie very obviously is shown one of them. As soon as the authorities saw the ideas of "V" and his targets, they announced through the media, that he is killed, so that the risk of rebellion will be reduced. Unfortunately in reality during the totalitarianism the media was the strongest manipulator of the society, and this is another example that the movie gives, compared to our real life. Talking about the media, let's move on with the second scene which I would like to discuss, and it is the moment when the government desperately is trying to hold the population on their side, again through the usage of television as a medium.It is shown on the TV how the police is taking some "good" actions. Through a manipulated videos the government is trying to affect the people and make them believe that, without this political power they are nothing. But what happens when everyone of the ordinary people have his own idea ? When the people realize that they are not puppets and they can have their own point of view? The critical moment comes when the society stop to believe in the media, and in the authorities. This is what the director shows in this particular scene. If the media fails, the trust of the nation is lost. In this moment start the chaos, the anarchy and as it is said in the film " People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people". It is not only because people vote and choose who to rule them, but because the society is the biggest power in the country. One of the ideas shown in the movie is that in order to change, people need hope, hope for something better. The movie has an influence of the society even in our days. The group of hackers called " The Anonymous" have a logo which is the same like the mask of the character in the movie "V". Is it a coincidence? Like it is said in the movie" There is no such thing like coincidence" and everything is with purpose. Influenced by the movie, they wear the logo of the mask because like "V" they are also fighters for a change. Change that the governments do not understand, and like the main character in the movie they are prosecuted.
The movie, challenge in full force the ideological system of the dictatorship. It shows us that if we want a change we have to fight for it. Full of ideas and very deep meaning the movie show us a different point of view over the situation during the totalitarianism.