Film Of The Week #30 - V For Vendetta

Karl Hungus

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434409/

It seems that often in the film world, when someone says "Comic-book" it often refers to the more childish aspects of movies, and that producers can often dumb down the material to fit this perspective in the adaptation process. Take Alan Moore's The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen for example, which in comic form was a very well written story, with a lot of dark elements and some rather unpleasant characters presented as the protagonists (In the comic, the Invisible Man was a serial rapist), however in translation to film, it somehow managed to become a plot-hole riddled, dumbed-down piece of turgid rubbish that lost any sense of subtlety.

So, in the past decade or so, comic book adaptations can often target a more adult audience. Films like Blade, 300, and Sin City have been gloriously violent and gritty, but are still rather juvenile in a sense.

V For Vendetta, on the other hand, is possibly the most adult comic-book adaptation yet, and for me, easily one of the best. It's an extremely intelligent film by comparison, which has thoroughly good dialogue, excellent plot, character development and acting. Overall though, it's just one of the most gloriously enjoyable films in the past couple of years.

Discuss.

johnny_ultimate

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this film. It is not the kind of comic book film I expected - instead being an intelligent, talkie number. The action is brief and unspectacular, but the story is excellent, and as Karl said it is certainly one of the more interesting adaptations of recent years. Plus, Natalie Portman is my favourite actress of the moment - she gives a fine performance, even shaving her head for the roll. Of course, Hugo Weaving gives the best performance - a gloriously alliterated OTT take on V. Perhaps not quite as deserving as other FotW, but a great film none the less.

The Denouncer

Saw this with a huge Alan Moore fan (we saw From Hell a few years earlier), and though we both prefer Watchmen graphic novel, we loved this on the big screen. Its quite close to the source material (I need to read again), and has a great Big Brother atmosphere. A nice touch was to cast John Hurt as Sutler, a reversal of his 1984 role. I lent the DVD to a few people and none were too impressed, but I think its a fine piece of cinema entertainment, and an excellent comic book adaption. 8/10

ixoy

I quite enjoyed this but was always a little bit more underwhelmed than I expected. However, as a concept, it was well executed and somewhat of a brave move by the studios to release a film based around a vigilante terorrist in the current climate.

Karl is right in that it's a comic book movie that doesn't treat its audience with contempt and assumes they're reasonably intelligent. In that it joins the ranks of only a few others - off the top of my head I could only really count 'The Road to Perdition' (which is nowhere near as good) and 'A History of Violence', both of which were born in the comic book world.

I know Alan Moore has a lot of contempt for the movie adaptations of his works (and I can see why in most cases), but I'm wondering what his feelings were on this one. I've only glanced through the original source but it seems a faithful interpretation and a good example of how to bring the medium to the big screen.

Galvasean

ixoy wrote:

I quite enjoyed this but was always a little bit more underwhelmed than I expected. However, as a concept, it was well executed and somewhat of a brave move by the studios to release a film based around a vigilante terorrist in the current climate.

I agree. Not an all time great movie IMO, but it was a very brave film considering the political climate it was released into.
I hear the creator of V for Vendetta disowned the film (although he believes he's a wizard so go figure).

User45701

Just orderded it on HD DVD cant wait!, oh btw 1080p hd player are cheap
http://www.kompustore.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=430

Earthhorse

One of my favourite films of recent years. Well acted, scripted and directed, it's an action movie with a heart. I mean, you actually end up caring about the characters and their cause for once as opposed to just going along for the ride. The sequence were Evy is reading the letters is absolutely brilliant. Some might criticise the ending for being heavy handed but I think it fits perfectly.

ixoy wrote:

I know Alan Moore has a lot of contempt for the movie adaptations of his works (and I can see why in most cases), but I'm wondering what his feelings were on this one. I've only glanced through the original source but it seems a faithful interpretation and a good example of how to bring the medium to the big screen.

Moore has pretty much sworn off watching the films at this stage. He doesn't even collect royalties for these projects anymore, insisting instead that his portion is paid to the artist. I haven't read the comic myself but know the movie deviates from it in terms of background, character and the sequence of events. Having said that it is the best attempt to capture the essence of Moore's original work on screen. The man was told as much in an interview but has been so bitterly dissapointed with previous adaptations that he couldn't be convinced to give it a chance.

Zapp Brannigan

User45701 wrote:

Just orderded it on HD DVD cant wait!, oh btw 1080p hd player are cheap
http://www.kompustore.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=430

That's an upscaler, I believe. So I don't think it plays HDDVD's it only makes your regular DVDs appear in HD.

As for the film, I thought it was okay. Not sure if it deserves a FoTW.

Crucifix

I'm surprised to see this as a film of the week, but it's a fave of mine. It was treated roughly by many critics at the time, and I remember a lot of fans of the comic complaining too, but I thought it was a very solid, enjoyable film. Then on DVD it proved to have great re-watch value - for me anyway.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I went to the cinema to see this, really excited and expecting alot. I don't know if I was dissapointed but I definitely left feeling pretty underwhelmed.

that being said, whats her face looks hot bald

Kintarō Hattori

When I went to see it I didn't know it had come from the world of the comic. I went in with no expectations or no notions or what it should or shouldn't be. The story is excellent, with great set design and the casting is spot on. An intelligent movie that's just hugely enjoyable. Currently one of the missus' fave's, and that's saying alot.

Shryke

I thought it was decent but didn't understand where all the praise was coming from, and I still don't. Underwhelming but all the same enjoyable.

Karl Hungus

johnny_ultimate wrote:

Perhaps not quite as deserving as other FotW, but a great film none the less.

I think it's a lot more deserving of FotW than Sin City for example. But that's just me.

galactus

Am a bit of a comics fan so I didn't expect much from this but was very pleasantly surprised with a very thoughtful and moving film.

Clearly a lot of thought has gone into into this movie and it shows. A very topical movie on the themes of Freedom, Terrorism and the Big Brother state. It will be interesting to see how this movie ages.

On a sexist pig note, any movie with Natalie Portman is worth watching but this is the role of her career so far.

BTW, just like eo980, my wife loves this movie. Must be a Phantom of The Opera sort of thing :rolleyes:

Retr0gamer

I was underwhelmed by this as well. It was enjoyable but it would never be in a list of my favourite films. I think it lost the run of itself with the bit with evy locked up and the ending which were both very silly. Not bad, but I don't think it's deserving of a FotW.

joe_chicken

I came at this film from a different angle from most here, i.e. I didn't really like the look of it when it first came out, didn't really pay much attention to the hype and don't think I've ever read an Alan Moore comic.

I think that's exactly why I enjoyed it so much.

If you're expecting a face melter like The Matrix, then you'll be disappointed, but if you want a good action movie with a great story you'll be plesantly surprised.

It has a great English feel to it. I couldn't shake the feeling of 90s English crime TV, things like Cracker and Morse (a good thing by the way;)).

The messages and themes are strong, yet it doesn't bog down the movie and I never felt it forced.

The acting is great, the characters are superb and the script is never dull.
This is one of my favourite movies in recent memory.

A nice touch was to cast John Hurt as Sutler

That made me smile for about 10 minutes. Nearly worth the entrance fee alone

projectmayhem

wow i didn't think real people liked this film. i thought i was alone.

enjoyed every second of the film, even if the writing wasn't inspired *shakes fist at the wachowskis*

hugo weaving was fantastic as V, and portayed the character exactly as i would have imagined after reading the books. natalie portman can't be bad in a film. just look at her!

qwertplaywert

great movie on first time seeing, good plot, good writing/acting ect, but not one for watching again...........
one of the better comic book movies,still nothing against the directors cut of daredevil though imo

Savman

What a film, tis in my DVD collection
10/10

constitutionus

this was the first film in ages that had me leaving the cinema thinkng " i really enjoyed that!" . maybe it was just the year involved but near everyother film left me feeling "meh".

wonderful story and surprisingly intimate in the interaction between evey and V and hugo weaving was a revelation. seriously the pathos he imparts is staggering considering you never see his face the entire film.

to me this is probably the best comic book film adaptation of all time.

its not about action, though it is in it, its about character and shock horror story telling.

just a really really good little movie. couldnt wait to get this on DVD and if fact will probably slap it on now

by the way shocked to hear the bad reviews. my memory of the time was it got a great write up from the critics. ok i dont give a toss what they think but i genuinely dont remember it getting blasted.

Slutmonkey57b

just watched it as it has been in my "films to watch queue" for ages - good, not great though. I'd agree with the critic that said Clive Owen made a more effective performance through a mask in Inside Man than Weaving did, but Owen had the benefit of face time on-screen and less of a theatrical character to play.

Better than a lot of critics said it was, not FoTW material though.

Necronomicon

I loved this film, thought it was one of the most under-rated of last year. Delighted it's gotten FoTW.

Dont be at yourself

Enjoyable, but nowhere near a classic. Pays lip-service to complex themes, but there really isn`t much depth at all.