V For Vendetta [Archive] - Mania Forums - Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Entertainment

DaForce

03-13-2006, 11:22 PM

I got to see a sneak preview of this tonight and I was fairly impressed with what I saw.

First things first, is it the same as the graphic novel? Yes and no. It's the same message as the novel, but the timeline and a few of the subplots were changed and/or omitted for brevity's sake. There were a few new items added that I liked, and a few items taken out that I wish they had left in.

Is it politically overzealous? Again, yes and no. The book was about politics and ideology and people's roles in the governments they allow to govern them, so it's a bit hard not to be political in a movie of this type. My only qualm is that the W. Bros. changed the story enough to take (what I see) as an easy political pot shot. The movie really didn't need it but it's there for people of a conservative nature to condemn the film and blah blah blah as they always do when they perceive something as a threat to them, but it honestly doesn't apply unless they see themselves as fascists.

With that said, the first hour of the movie kind of dragged for me (having read the book), but once we get to Natalie's head shaving scene things really pick up quickly. It also didn't help that I had a guy sitting near me (whom I've named Mr. Giggles) who giggled almost throughout the entire movie. I'm talking giggling at inappropriate places in the movie, during lulls in the movie, etc. It was fairly weird.

Anyway, Portman did a great job (which shows that she can act when an even a half-competent director is behind the camera...ya hear me Lucas?), the guy behind the mask (rumors are it wasn't Weaving, but who knows) was great especially since he had to emote through a mask that doesn't change expression, and the story kicked ass.

I definitely be seeing this again on the IMAX screen.

Rating: Full price ticket for multiple viewings.

magiccarpet

03-14-2006, 06:10 AM

i'm really looking forward to seeing this...thanks for the write up. So instead of midnight showings, they have 10pm shows the night before...is this a new trend?

KingVoyeur

03-14-2006, 07:23 AM

I can't wait for this to open. I read the first half of the graphic novel while I was in Barnes and Noble waiting for a friend, and I completely fell in love with it.

I saw something that I found pretty interesting yesterday on TV. On the Fox News channel Joel Silver was being interviewed by some anchor. Being the more "conservative" news channel, I was curious to see what kind of questions Silver would be asked. It seemed like most of the questions the anchor was asking were of the "so are you glorifying terrorism? Is your main character a terrorist?" types. It really seemed like they were trying to get Silver to say that this was an anti-Bush movie that supported terrorism so that they could crap all over it, but Silver wasn't playing along. Did anyone else see that interview?

sickness

03-14-2006, 09:26 AM

Glad to hear this is a good one. I've been looking forward to it for several months now and will definitely be watching it this weekend.

magiccarpet

03-14-2006, 11:07 AM

i really want to go the first night, but the ncaa tourney might prohibit me from doing so

Deacon

03-17-2006, 08:42 AM

I liked it a lot. Didn't love it, it had too many flaws for that, but it's an interesting, entertaining movie.

The biggest problem I had was with the Wachowski's script. God bless 'em, but they can't write believable dialogue to save their lives. And that made the opening fifteen minutes or so pretty worrying, as you're getting to know the characters and the setting. After that, after you get drawn into the story, things get better, but it still would've been better if more talented writers had had a whack at it. Still, they do a pretty decent job of translating the spirit of the book.

As for Portman... sure, she was better than in the "Star Wars" prequels, but she's given numerous performances better than this one. I get the impression that - as seems to happen sometimes with actors - putting on the accent got in the way of the performance. Her British accent isn't bad, but it's still not entirely convincing. But she gets better as the film goes on. It's hard to judge Weaving's perfomance under the circumstances, but at the very least his vocals did the job.

For me, Stephen Rea, as the cop on V's trail, is the best thing in the film. He's still hampered by some stilted dialogue, but he's got a hangdog likeability that helps drive the movie.

I'm not sure how audiences in general will take to it. It's a lot talkier than audiences might expect (although not as talky as the "Matrix" sequels, thank the Lord), and not as fast paced as some might hope. But the whole terrorism angle gives it an interesting spin that other films don't have right now, and that makes it worth a look.

KingVoyeur

03-17-2006, 01:41 PM

Seeing it tonight, was just reading through reviews beforehand, came across this on FOXNews.com -

But the movie's seditious, anti-President Bush subtext is obvious: The regime that V and Evey seek to undermine controls the masses through wiretapping, television spin and misinformation, using religious piousness for political gain and positioning itself as the protector of a fearful public.

Yes, because before Bush, no one had ever though a government could do things like that. Those authors like Orwell and Alan Moore must've had some kind of psychic flash of Bush's presidency that influenced them to write 1984 and V for Vendetta. Don't you just love people who think everything's about them?

sickness

03-17-2006, 04:04 PM

Sounds like a guilty conscience to me. Why else would Fox project this as being about Bush?

jayce78

03-19-2006, 07:00 AM

It was very entertaining , and even caused you to think a little about the times in which we live like the novel itself. . . .

Portman was great I thought & ha! She did do a good job in Star Wars III , is it possible for the fing geeks in this forum to talk about a film without taking shots . . .

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/6307/qwerwe9hn.png (http://imageshack.us)

Space Tycoon

03-19-2006, 07:26 AM

Sounds like a guilty conscience to me. Why else would Fox project this as being about Bush? I felt the same way when Medved accused Lucas of joining the "far-left, Michael Moore crowd" when SWIII first came out.

:rolleyes:

.

jayce78

03-19-2006, 07:39 AM

I felt the same way when Medved accused Lucas of joining the "far-left, Michael Moore crowd" when SWIII first came out.

:rolleyes:

.

In Hollywood , there no such thing as bad publicity:wink: If something can stir up people's interest to see a film and make more money than . . . .

There ya go!

sickness

03-19-2006, 08:35 AM

Medved is a conspiracy-theory-believing, George-W.-Bush's-ass-sniffing, foaming-at-the-mouth righty who attacks anything not overtly supporting Bush as biased to the left. Anything that does suport Bush is unbiased to him. I'm not surprised by his opinion of SWIII. I would ask him one question about it, though. How else does he figure a republic such as the one represented in SWI and II and referred to in IV, V & VI could turn into an empire ruled by a singular, iron fist? Anyone who thinks it was about Bush has SERIOUS projection issues.

Or, perhaps -- and I know I'm going to get railed by the righties on these boards for saying this but keep this in mind before you go off on me: I consider this a highly unlikely possibility and really don't think Bush has the character or evil streak in him to do it anyway -- we'll see Bush use a state of emergency and a Congress friendly to him to consolidate power in a similar fashion and he'll be president long after January, 2009. Now, would that make SWIII the mind**** of the century or what?

sickness

03-19-2006, 08:36 AM

BTW, great pic of Bush, Jayce. :lol:

jayce78

03-19-2006, 09:18 AM

DaForce

03-19-2006, 01:06 PM

Portman was great I thought & ha! She did do a good job in Star Wars III , is it possible for the fing geeks in this forum to talk about a film without taking shots . . .

It's a movie BBS.

Get used to it.

Signed,

An fing geek

:D

magiccarpet

03-20-2006, 10:10 AM

I thought this was a very entertaining flick. Question: what was it that made the US become the former US? They hinted at an avian flu, but it wasnt made clear to me.

KingVoyeur

03-20-2006, 10:22 AM

Saw it Saturday night, really really enjoyed it. One of the best movies so far this year, it gives you a lot of things to think about. I wish they hadn't marketed it as an action flick, it's more of a poltiical drama with action overtones (there's only two fight scenes, both relatively short). It didn't have quite the look I was expecting, and I think some people will be put off by the way V talks (especially the first time you meet him, he really likes the letter V!), but those're just tiny things, I thought the movie was fantastic! I especially liked the bit they did on the TV show that poked fun at the Chancellor using the Benny Hill theme music!

I can see where they took some obvious potshots at our current government that conservatives are going to latch onto, but seriously, what does it say about our current government when you can compare it that easily to a fictional totalitarion government? :wink:

I thought this was a very entertaining flick. Question: what was it that made the US become the former US? They hinted at an avian flu, but it wasnt made clear to me.

I think in the graphic novel the US was devastated, economically and politcally, by World War III.

Bokchoi Cowboy

03-20-2006, 01:00 PM

Good film. I saw it Friday night. Enjoyed it. Would like to see an IMAX version...I seem to remember reading Daf saying something about IMAX.....

DaForce

03-20-2006, 01:41 PM

Good film. I saw it Friday night. Enjoyed it. Would like to see an IMAX version...I seem to remember reading Daf saying something about IMAX.....

Yup, it was released simultaneously in IMAX theaters. I know that they're showing it here in SF (well, actually I'm in Las Vegas at the moment).

So yeah, it's on IMAX right now too.

syphon2006

03-20-2006, 02:53 PM

I went to see V last night. I wasn't disappointed, they marketed it as an action film but it was more of a political drama (based on true story) type of material. That government is ALMOST exactly like our current administration. let me produce a few off the top of my head.

Wire tapping
Censorship
Controlling news and media
torture of prisnors
producing fear to the public to scare them

And so on...

I loved the movie and was very impressed, and will buy the dvd when it comes out, im also tempted to see it again in theaters. I recommend this to anyone who wants to see a great movie with great visuals. It is a thinking persons movie.

Kaeos

03-20-2006, 04:30 PM

Here's a beef. If V is the dude here (and no I haven't seen the movie yet) the main character - then why is Portman all over the talk circuit and Hugo Weaving is no where to be seen?

Oh and BTW
I am really surprised that people like this movie. I found it dumb and irrevelant at best and offensive at worst. Natalie Portman did a good job with the script that was given her.

Neo-Con Right Wing Wacko?

Hmm?

No?

Really?

Cuchulainn

03-20-2006, 04:59 PM

Here's a beef. If V is the dude here (and no I haven't seen the movie yet) the main character - then why is Portman all over the talk circuit and Hugo Weaving is no where to be seen?

I would say there are two possible reasons.

1) In the comic at least (I haven't seen the movie yet either) V's face is never shown. So it's possible that they don't want most people going in to the movie to have Hugo Weaving's face in their minds while they are watching.

2) He doesn't want to be seen. I think this is the more likely reason. Hugo Weaving likes being relatively anonymous. (http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/20/film.hugo.weaving.ap/index.html) As he says in the interview, "when your image becomes so big that it's hard for a viewer to see a character, then I think you're in danger as an actor of being unable to perform what you should be doing. And it becomes harder for you to successfully create another human being ... So the idea of playing this man in a mask and never being seen was wonderful."

sickness

03-20-2006, 05:06 PM

Additionally, Weaving is a bit of a character actor while Portman is more of a star. Had it not been for The Matrix, we probably would have seen the guy in a hundred movies and lost him in every one.

sickness

03-20-2006, 08:17 PM

That had crossed my mind but I really don't think the average person remembers him for that. Smith, on the other hand...

Bokchoi Cowboy

03-21-2006, 05:21 AM

I am really surprised that people like this movie. I found it dumb and irrevelant at best and offensive at worst. Natalie Portman did a good job with the script that was given her.

I'm curious as to what intent you watched the movie. Since I was aware it was originally a graphic novel (comic book), that is the expectation I had for the movie: a comic book in movie form. If I was to go into the theater and expect the movie to be something it was not, then I too would have been gravely disapointed.

Many films get bashed for so much that relly doesn't relate to the film, as they are viewed out of context.

*

Masterlessamurai

03-21-2006, 08:36 AM

Saw V this weekend and it was a truly great movie. Aside from all the politics, the lighting, the sound, the cinematics, the storyline, and the acting, was all A+. The only fault I could give it was not enough action. Could I get a few more battles please?! And it was probably just me but I totally envisioned a chase scene where V would 'vanish' into the night. Oh well, still awesome overall(so awesome that I re-registered to these forums).

Heres my question and statement to you all. Who was V? I had a feeling from the beginning that V was Eveys father but I have heard a really good theory that V was Valerie(the lesbian woman being tested who had originally wrote the letters).

Your thoughts?

KingVoyeur

03-21-2006, 08:41 AM

Heres my question and statement to you all. Who was V? I had a feeling from the beginning that V was Eveys father but I have heard a really good theory that V as Valerie(the lesbian woman being tested who had wrote the letters).

Your thoughts?

We're never meant to know who V was. All we know is that he was a prisoner at the detention camp, they did experiments on him, and he may have had something to do with the explosion that freed him. Like he says in the movie, the man behind the mask isn't important, it's the ideas that matter. I liked how Evey explained it to the inspector at the end, that V was you and me and everyone else who believes in freedom.

DaForce

03-21-2006, 10:07 AM

Since I was aware it was originally a graphic novel (comic book), that is the expectation I had for the movie: a comic book in movie form. If I was to go into the theater and expect the movie to be something it was not, then I too would have been gravely disapointed.

That's one thing that kind of irks me. People lumping comic books and graphic novels into the same category when that's not the case.

Graphic novels are novels with drawn pictures. Much like a movie.

Comic books are serial and usually contain a central character(s) that the monthly (weekly or daily) story revolves around. There is no end to the story of a comic book (if its sales don't fall into the crapper).

It's like looking at a jet engine and saying that you could strap it to the space shuttle for propulsion. You could try, but you'd be wrong.

Graphic novel = Novel with graphics (ie. usually a one shot story, unless there's a sequel)

Cuchulainn

03-21-2006, 02:03 PM

That's one thing that kind of irks me. People lumping comic books and graphic novels into the same category when that's not the case.

Graphic novels are novels with drawn pictures. Much like a movie.

Comic books are serial and usually contain a central character(s) that the monthly (weekly or daily) story revolves around. There is no end to the story of a comic book (if its sales don't fall into the crapper).

It's like looking at a jet engine and saying that you could strap it to the space shuttle for propulsion. You could try, but you'd be wrong.

Graphic novel = Novel with graphics (ie. usually a one shot story, unless there's a sequel)

What does a mini-series fall under? Because that's what V for Vendatta is.

Space Tycoon

03-21-2006, 02:08 PM

Medved is a conspiracy-theory-believing, George-W.-Bush's-ass-sniffing, foaming-at-the-mouth righty who attacks anything not overtly supporting Bush as biased to the left. Anything that does suport Bush is unbiased to him. It's called Patriotic Correctness, a form of PC which is nowadays very common on the right.

It's just as stupid as the leftwing version. :rolleyes:

.

Queen Mae

03-21-2006, 08:10 PM

It's called Patriotic Correctness, a form of PC which is nowadays very common on the right.

It's just as stupid as the leftwing version. :rolleyes:

.

ha!

:hugs:

DarkJedi

03-22-2006, 01:03 AM

I went to see V last night. I wasn't disappointed, they marketed it as an action film but it was more of a political drama (based on true story) type of material. That government is ALMOST exactly like our current administration. let me produce a few off the top of my head.

Wire tapping
Censorship
Controlling news and media
torture of prisnors
producing fear to the public to scare them

Neo-Con Right Wing Wacko?

It's called Patriotic Correctness, a form of PC which is nowadays very common on the right.

It's just as stupid as the leftwing version.

More politics and Republican bashing at these boards.

Oh yay.

I guess Space gets a cookie for putting a note afterwards that both sides are sometimes guilty of it. Perish the thought, Space.

:rolleyes:

Cncrman

03-22-2006, 08:08 AM

On the topic of the ACTUAL Movie...(we are on a movie board right? or is this a political board now?) :wink:

I watched it last night and have to say it was enjoyable. I went in with no major expectations other than it being about a guy in a mask and a bald Padme. It occasionally tugged at heartstrings but never got farther than that. It was an interesting look at a "What-if" sort of future. I'm not sure I would spend full price on it again though.

DaForce

03-22-2006, 11:32 AM

What does a mini-series fall under? Because that's what V for Vendatta is.

Actually, if you read the foreword by Moore, the book was written and drawn in its entirety. It was then broken down by the publisher as a mini-series.

So I look it as a novel. Hence the term 'graphic novel'.

southpaw

03-22-2006, 01:59 PM

Preach it Forcey!

I thought this movie was great. I have yet to read the graphic novel, but WILL be picking it up soon.

DaForce

03-22-2006, 03:51 PM

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/bo/2006/bo060321.gif

Let's start the revolution up in this b!tch!!!

Space Tycoon

03-22-2006, 04:33 PM

I guess Space gets a cookie for putting a note afterwards that both sides are sometimes guilty of it. Perish the thought, Space.

:rolleyes:

I thought we were all agreed that there are not simply "two sides" in politics.

I see it more as a diamond, myself. Four sides.

I can understand your frustration at the politicization of this thread. But this is a political movie, after all (albeit one with plenty of buttkicking). Should we discuss cooking? :smirks:

I haven't actually seen the movie, btw. I have no right to comment in this thread in the first place.

.

DaForce

03-22-2006, 06:08 PM

I thought we were all agreed that there are not simply "two sides" in politics.

I see it more as a diamond, myself. Four sides.

I can understand your frustration at the politicization of this thread. But this is a political movie, after all (albeit one with plenty of buttkicking). Should we discuss cooking? :smirks:

I haven't actually seen the movie, btw. I have no right to comment in this thread in the first place.

No, no, no. Politics is more like a cookie or maybe a deep dish pizza.....wait, or maybe it's more like lasanga?

What were we talking about?

Space Tycoon

03-22-2006, 06:36 PM

You zoning out again?

:ohwell:

DaForce

03-22-2006, 06:59 PM

Na...just haven't had dinner yet.

Space Tycoon

03-22-2006, 07:09 PM

Well, I'm going to sleep.

Thought you should all know.

.

KingVoyeur

03-23-2006, 01:54 PM

Interesting discussion about V on Scarborough Country (I don't watch it, just saw something about V for Vendetta).

V Discussion (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11945100/)

DaForce

03-23-2006, 02:07 PM

Wow. MSNBC must have watched a completely different movie than I did. The U.S. is mentioned exactly once in the movie, and for a duration of 5 seconds as a news blurb.

Like I said in my original review, the message that I got from the movie (and the book) was that people are responsible for the governments that govern them. Not the other way around.

The way that MSNBC interview made it look like this movie was nothing but explosions, American bashing, and Christian bashing. Oh, and 'propaganda' as the lone woman panelist put it.

:smirks:

Cuchulainn

03-23-2006, 07:39 PM

If this is how an person working at MSNBC saw V I can only imagine how most of Fox News see it.

Magell

03-24-2006, 10:01 PM

I wonder all the time how people like that can get a job analyzing things like movies. Are they telling me that people should support a government that poisons its own people, makes people disappear and kills them, and has a tyrannical hold over its citizens? I sweat to god people are retarded. This movie was about destroying an evil dictatorship not removing a corrupt party from power.

America is just treated in a realistic light. We start wars with other countries and it is possible that a policy like that could result in a backfire which causes the US to collapse. Not to mention our huge national debt and inability to pay it off.

I thought the movie was really good and I was surprised by the lack of action but it wasn't a disappointment at all. I thought the ending of the movie was phenomenal and moving and it was just perfect.

Intelligent_Design

03-25-2006, 06:51 PM

I just got back from see this movie. It was pretty good. I have to reread the GN though becuase I didn't like it at all.

Metuzalem

03-26-2006, 06:32 AM

Saw this last night, was mightily impressed. The feel of the film was right if a little camp and corny, not every English accent sounds like that :wink:
One thing which I am really suprised that no-one has picked up on yet (apologies if someone has):

John Hurt

Subtle irony that he portryed Winston Smith in 1984 and now in an eerily similar film he's essentially playing the "Big Brother" character. It must have been real head-fcuk for him. *SPOILERS* Like just when he was about to get shot I was expecting him to yell "Do it to Julia!!!" :D *END SPOILERS*

Queen Mae

03-26-2006, 02:11 PM

Saw this on Thursday:

Phantom of the Opera with a cooler ending.

Jakester

03-27-2006, 09:13 AM

This movie gave me a happy. Everyone should see it.

Jakester

03-27-2006, 09:14 AM

Oh, and if they don't like it, they should be infected with St. Mary's virus and left to die.

Cncrman

03-27-2006, 10:08 AM

You just like that fact that Portman was pointing at everyone during half the movie. Apprently in the future, there are no bras.

sickness

03-27-2006, 10:14 AM

If you're looking for some titilation from Natalie Portman, forget this movie. You can see her nipples through her shirt after the arena scene in Episode II. And it's on DVD so you can pause it, rewind it again and again... hell, some DVD players have a zoom feature!

tstone

03-31-2006, 11:51 AM

Just saw this film. I LOVED it. It was extraordinary, and easily the best adaption of Alan Moore's work to date. More extensive review later.

Karatekid84

03-31-2006, 05:47 PM

I liked .iT WAs a good movie. Natile was hot hot even bald.Dam shes hot!

JFilm101

03-31-2006, 09:32 PM

I did enjoy the film immensely in terms of its execution and acting (Hugo Weaving did yeoman's work! Glad someone else mentioned the irony of John Hurt as big brother -- some terrific character work here. :)

That said, I believe that Kurt nailed it on the head in terms of the ideas in the film version being ultimately handled in a puerile and platitudinous manner(love Moore's work and I did read the graphic novel again about two months ago). Propaganda is propaganda regardless of partisan preference. The ending of the film was all the more ironic in its sincerity. Oh well. There's still hope for Watchmen ..... I hope.