V for Vendetta (Full Screen Edition)
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Actor: Hugo Weaving, John Hurt, Natalie Portman, Stephen Fry, Stephen ReaBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-08-01
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of V for Vendetta (Full Screen Edition)
DVD Review: V for Visuals and Very Stylish Ones: Masked Musketeer in Totalitarian World
Summary: 4 Stars
Whether you may like him or not, `V for Vendetta' is produced by Joel Silver, one of the strongest players in Hollywood, the one behind the successful `Matrix' trilogy, and the script of `V' is written by none other than Wachowski Brothers. First-time director James McTeigue worked as assistant director in three `Matrix's and one `Star Wars' and yes, the titular `V' is played by Hugo Weaving. This time, however, you never see his face hidden behind a mask - like Agent Smith wearing glasses. And fewer action scenes.
`V for Vendetta' is set in the totalitarian society of England in the near future, where one masked anti-hero shakes up the nation's political system which is controlled by one Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt). To do so, `V' employs a Guy Fawkes method - well, blow up the Old Bailey, you know - and he does it with accompanied music, before an accidental witness Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman), who becomes the suspect of the case, chased by the secret police.
[NATALIE PORTMAN as BALLERINA?] The far-fetched story contains as many elements as possible - actions, humors, imprisonment, and even romance - and there is always something right in front of you that is interesting to see, like the interior of `V''s room, his penchant for using theatrical manners, or believe me or not, one pinkish ballerina clothes Portman wears. The film certainly has several good action sequences, but what is fascinating may be the character of `V' himself, and the far-reaching effects that changes the life of other characters including Evey.
To me, however, two actors from UK are more impressive than `V' and Evey. They are Stephen Rea as Inspector Finch and Stephen Fry as popular TV show host. They both represent the ordinary people who attempt to follow their conscience even under the fascist regime without using the terrorist tactics that `V' employs. And they know they are very weak, like Jonathan Pryce's hero in `Brazil.'
Compared with them, the acting Portman looks sometimes weak, with the British accent that appears and disappears. The film's reference to one Dumas novel is too obvious, and even detracting. There is one big twist in the middle part of the film, which is not convincing, and most of all, John Hurt's `Sutler,' always yelling before the monitor, is not my idea of the fascist leader in the 21st century. And as to the film's explanation about the emergence of UK's dark totalitarian society, it is as credible as the big secret of the `Matrix.'
`V for Vendetta' is absolutely a `love-or-hate' film. Its unmistakable message is represented by the words of `V,' but some of you may find it shallow, and say no one in the truly totalitarian society can act like `V'. It is a curious mixture of the childish (anti-)heroism of musketeer and the sinister image of terrorist. The film tries to mix them, but is not always successful. Still the film's stylish actions and images with unexpected humor are undeniable.
Description of V for Vendetta (Full Screen Edition)
Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V." Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption."Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V for Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary, to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who played Winston Smith in the movie 1984), whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After they gained power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot, and his philosophy on how to induce change.
Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V for Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current U.S. political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob Bracco
Beyond Vendetta
 The graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd |  More by Alan Moore |  From Graphic Novel to Big Screen |
 More by Natalie Portman |  More by Hugo Weaving |  More by the Wachowski Brothers |
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