V for Vendetta (2005)

Director:

James McTeigue

Writers (WGA):

Andy Wachowski (screenplay) &
Lana Wachowski (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 March 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Remember, remember the 5th of November, the gun powder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gun powder treason should ever be forgot.

Plot:

A shadowy freedom fighter known only as "V" uses terrorist tactics to fight against his totalitarian society. Upon rescuing a girl from the secret police, he also finds his best chance at having an ally.

Plot Keywords:

Terrorist | Government | Police | Secret Police | Fascist

Awards:

3 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Natalie Portman	...	Evey
Hugo Weaving	...	V
Stephen Rea	...	Inspector Finch
Stephen Fry	...	Deitrich
John Hurt	...	Adam Sutler
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Creedy
Rupert Graves	...	Dominic
Roger Allam	...	Lewis Prothero
Ben Miles	...	Dascomb
Sinéad Cusack	...	Delia Surridge
Natasha Wightman	...	Valerie
John Standing	...	Lilliman
Eddie Marsan	...	Etheridge
Clive Ashborn	...	Guy Fawkes
Emma Field-Rayner	...	Guy Fawkes Lover (as Emma Field Rayner)

Also Known As:

V for Vendetta: At the IMAX (UK) (IMAX version)
V for Vendetta: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
V wie Vendetta (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and some language.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX prints)

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:MA | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Malaysia:18SG | Sweden:15 | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Portugal:M/16 | New Zealand:R13 | Argentina:16 | Italy:T | Brazil:16 | Israel:PG | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Japan:PG-12 | Chile:Y7 | Colombia:12 | Greece:K-17 | Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | France:U (with warning) | South Korea:15 | Singapore:M18 (video rating) (cut) | Singapore:NC-16 (theatrical release) (edited version) | USA:R (certificate #42210) | India:A (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Aldwych Underground Station, Aldwych, Holborn, London, England, UK

Company:

Silver Pictures

Trivia:

Several of the main themes (music), when written out on a staff form the letter V if the notes are connected, dot to dot. Specifically the theme that's played at the beginning of "The Dominoes Fall," or the piano solo during "Valerie."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Right after all the soldiers have emptied their guns into V near the end of the film, he retaliates by throwing two of his knives at two of the soldiers. When he throws them, they are rotating at different speeds, but they impact at the same time in the same place on each soldier. You can see the knife farthest from the viewer stop spinning right before impact and slide into the soldier, even though it should have hit him at an angle.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Evey Hammond: [voiceover] Remember, remember, the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot... But what of the man? I know his name was Guy Fawkes and I know, in 1605, he attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'V for Vendetta' Unmasked (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Long Black Train

Utterly Spectacular!

I was a fan of the "V for Vendetta" graphic novel, and Alan Moore disinheriting the film was a bit discouraging. But he's always been a little crazy. The film version is everything I could have possibly hoped for - gripping, chilling, intense, exciting, heartbreaking. It gets Moore's music if not his exact words; elements are slightly different, subplots removed. But the idea - as V himself would be so proud to say - remains the same.

The plot is surprisingly complex and nuanced, and I don't want to give anything more away than the previews already have. Suffice it to say that a masked anarchist (voiced by Hugo Weaving) must save a young woman (Natalie Portman) during his attempt to expose corruption in the government. Weaving is perfectly cast, using his formidable physicality and imposing voice to give gravitas to the insanity of the character. Portman has gone from child to teen star and is finally emerging as a talented, adult actress following her Oscar-nominated turn in "Closer". Here, she gives her best performance to date as the orphan Evey. John Hurt is characteristically impressive as the enigmatic government leader, and Stephen Rea gives a wonderful supporting turn as the police inspector charged with finding V - before it's too late.

The Wachowski Brothers' former protégé, James McTiegue, takes on the directing duties here and helms an enormously impressive first feature, using every trick in the book in a manner reminiscent of his mentors' breakout hit "The Matrix". Unlike "The Matrix", McTiegue allows the story to be more of a focus than the action, and as a result the film is a tense and emotional thriller, with outbursts of spectacularly filmed and choreographed action. Showing more maturity and restraint than the Wachowskis, McTiegue doesn't show off, and his trickery isn't self conscious. When slow-motion overtakes a late action sequence, it seems as natural as breathing. The late cinematographer Adrian Biddle (the film is dedicated to his memory) does an outstanding job, Oscar-nominated Dario Marianelli's score is a fantastic accompaniment to the piece, and the visual effects are astonishing, terrifying, and deeply moving, especially in the climatic moments in Trafalgar Square.

With solid acting, great action, and fantastic technical wizardry, it sounds just like another "Matrix"-style ripoff. But the biggest difference in "V" is that it is a story of real ideas - not a fantastic, science fiction creation, but a genuine examination of the human condition. The power of fear takes center stage here - the fear of war, of disease, of famine. Fear is a basic human nature, and has been exploited as a weapon - a method of control - for centuries. And for those who would use it, a masked man waits in the shadows to carry out your sentence. The verdict? Vengeance. "V for Vendetta" is a must-see.

10/10