V For Vendetta Review-By Michael Carlisle

Title: V For Vendetta
Year: 2005
Director: James McTeigue
Country: US
Language: English

Born on April 17th, 1570 Guy Fawkes was a member of a group of English Catholics who planned the infamous Gunpowder Plot, a scheme to assassinate King James I and restore a catholic monarch to the throne. Unfortunately for Fawkes his plan failed; he was then discovered, arrested, tortured and executed. After his death folklore was written about him and during the 20th and 21st Century he became a major icon of rebellion in North America. Director James McTeigue's V For Vendetta is not a biography about this man, but rather a statement about Fawkes' influence. 

The film is set in the future, Great Britain has become a fascist state. V (Hugo Weaving) is a freedom fighter who uses terrorist-like tactics to fight the oppressive and overbearing society. When he rescues a woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) from the police, she becomes his ally

V For Vendetta is a conspiracy theorist's wet dream; it confirms all their beliefs regarding the ne're-do-well police, cartoon-ishly corrupt politicians and big brother's overseeing eyes. The philosophy in this film is half-baked at best; V comes off as more of a condescending prick than any form of "freedom fighter". He openly admits to torturing innocents, yet claims the means justify the end. Of course the Director uses the most cliche tactic used to make the audience like a character: the arts. He loves paintings, sculptures, poetry and literature so he must be a swell guy! 

I have never used this word to describe any movie, but V for Vendetta is pretentious. It's a film that attempts to come off as more important and intelligent than it actually is. To make up for a lack of coherent script, the director has his actors rambling about, giving Shakespeare quotes and citing poetry whenever they see fit. The acting is atrocious, while Natalie Portman is known to be great (Black Swan) she has also flopped from time to time (The Phantom Menace)

In conclusion, the film is so bad that even V For Vendetta's original graphic novel creator Allan Moore has denounced it. It's a rather silly picture that has nothing going for it, even the editing is sloppy and inconsistent. It's unfortunate that so many Fawkes worshipers have flocked to this movie, but maybe I can silence some voices. This movie is V for VERY VERY VERY BAD.  Piss on it! 0.5/5