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"V for Vendetta"
2006-03-19, 5:31 p.m.

WARNING!!!! If you know me personally, you may read my diary, but if you do, you take the chance of reading things you don't want to know, misunderstanding what I've written and being hurt by it. If you are unsure if it is okay to read, save yourself, and me, the grief and heartache, and ask first!!! Please note that this is a DIARY, I.E. my subjective feelings, hearsay, suppositions, and outpourings of ranting of the moment. It does not represent objective news, the whole of what I think of a topic or someone, or even a thought-out representation of any of the above. This I hope you keep in mind, and thank you for reading.

Remember, remember...

Skip to Review

I remember way back when, in the year 1999, when the Wachowski brothers changed the world of cinema with �The Matrix.� I had wanted to see the film in theaters, I remember. That was back in the day my uncle and I were trying to see movies together...and �The Matrix� was on my list. But unfortunately there was the shooting at Columbine, and if I remember correctly, �The Matrix� was taken out of theaters because of it. I missed my chance...

When �The Matrix Reloaded� came to theaters, I again had to wait for it to come out on video. Of course, I didn�t rent it or anything, I just bought it. Then, when �The Matrix Revolutions� came out into theaters, I had plans to see it (like I had the two previous films). Unfortunately, with the IMAX experience in my chance of opportunity, I wasn�t allowed to see it quite yet. So I settled on seeing �The Matrix Reloaded,� even though I had owned it on DVD. It was fantastic.

It took me two viewings, even though the first one was in an IMAX theater, to realize that �The Matrix Revolutions� was darn good. I can�t care what anybody else says, I believe the Matrix trilogy is an artistic films series, and this includes those nine short films by different directors and animators... �The Animatrix.�

Not only do I appreciate the music and the clear picture and graphics of each film (not so much the acting), but I really enjoy the writing. Yeah, there�s the story which is quite a brilliant idea, if not original, and there�s also the dialogue. The French guy in the restaurant in �Reloaded� delivers quite the monologue with so many cool ideas. Morpheus delivers a speech to the last human city of Zion. The Oracle gives away some secrets of the Matrix and tells you what you need to hear. And, my personal favorite, Agent Smith is just quite the character.

~~

And then there�s �Bound,� the first Wachowski brother�s film (if I�m not mistaken), about lesbian lovers trying to get away from the dark world they live in. I remember it was well made, and not so much the dialogue. But my point is that I am a fan of the Wachowski brothers, and when, in the future, I see their name attached to anything, I�m there.

~~

So you can see why �V for Vendetta� is truly the first big movie of the year for me. And there�s a deeper reasoning why. Simply...I haven�t been to the theater in months. This entire year, in fact, so far. And it�s March, if I�m not mistaken. Alright, I saw �Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,� I remember that one, but that was released well before the beginning of the year...and it�s on DVD now.

~~

Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot. Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, 'twas his intent to blow up the King and the Parliament. Three score barrels of powder below, Poor old England to overthrow: By God's providence he was catch'd With a dark lantern and burning match. Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring. Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King! Hip hip hoorah! A penny loaf to feed the Pope. A farthing o' cheese to choke him. A pint of beer to rinse it down. A faggot of sticks to burn him. Burn him in a tub of tar. Burn him like a blazing star. Burn his body from his head. Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead. Hip hip hoorah! Hip hip hoorah!

Evey wakes up in a strange place to find V making breakfast for her

Being absent from any movie theater for so long has really gotten my anticipation up for the film. Guy Fawkes, to get back at the evil in the government, tried to blow up his King and the Parliament, but was arrested and killed. November 5th was his day. It is something true and even, to this day, has an actual holiday. But in the fictional world, the character V has come to set the government right.

We start with the police-state of Britain and are immediately introduced to our main characters, played by the brilliance of Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving. Yes, agent Smith and Elrond. Hugo Weaving�s stunning charisma is what makes this film even more elegant. But we don�t yet know that in the introduction to V. There�s Natalie Portman, caught by an evil police and about to be...we don�t even want to know...but the �police� are gonna end the night by killing her. But no, the Zorro-like hero comes out of the darkness to save her. Then he introduces himself with beautiful alliterations of V-words that turn out to be quite comical. Perhaps this isn�t Zorro after all. That smirk is a mask that may look villainous, but he was there to help Evey (Natalie), who wants nothing more than to be an actress.

V then takes Evey to the rooftops of the futuristic British world. He turns out to be a conductor, at first just waving his hands in the air, but then comes the music, and we see the artist this V is not until things start exploding on cue with the music.

V takes Evey down to his lair and with his 148-song (if I�m not mistaken) jukebox, he tells her that he�s never danced to it. Perhaps setting up for a later scene. This film did seem to give whatever an audience member would want. The thing is, even though V looks like Zorro, acts like the Phantom of the Opera, and becomes the Terrorist-Batman action figure, that�s just not what the film is. The movie is a performance-based drama that has a story to tell.

You may go in expecting an actioner, but if you understand the Wachowski�s, you know you�ll get much more. They have brilliant dialogue. There�s a story, and if you don�t sit there wanting to see what V does to his victims, you�ll find yourself thoroughly entertained. That�s what I pay to see in movies. Sure, I want to see the visuals of film, because that�s what film is all about, seeing, but it�s also about hearing and even feeling. I mean, I wanted to see how beautiful �Domino� looked, but when I rented it, it wasn�t any better than the preview. I could see the visuals just by watching the preview. And that�s what previews are about...they visually tease you. But luckily there is plenty of visual to feast upon in �V for Vendetta.� V talks about how blowing buildings up can change the world, which may reflect upon our post-9/11 world of today, and it even has a story to tell about gays, which is much like the Wachowski�s �Bound,� since there are lesbians in that, too. But lesbians are something our own government fights about.

Some may look at �V for Vendetta� as a political film, and the sad part is people think they�re looking deep into the movie and not getting what they�re looking for. That�s the problem with some audiences. Remember, the director thinks for you, and no movie should have to make you think. Of course, if you want to watch a movie where paying attention isn�t required, then Bruce Lee has plenty of martial art films that you can enjoy.

�V for Vendetta� is much more. It is part drama, much storytelling, there�s an English-humor sequence in there, it is fictional politics, it is part mystery, and it has got some hardcore action in there, too. And V is just the kind of character you pay to see. He is Zorro, The Phantom of the Opera, and even Batman. Except, as Batman, instead of trying to heal Gotham city by scaring the criminals, he breaks Gotham city by blowing it up. And this is to get back at the government who couldn�t control...Gotham city...in the first place.

And it�s a fine piece of cinema. It looks good, from lighting, to the characters/actors. Natalie Portman, you surely cannot beat.

And also what I love about certain movies is that the hype that gets around sets you up. It gets you excited for what�s about to come. In �The Matrix,� the Wachowski�s set up for the amazing non-stop action in the end. That was thrills that gave you chills. In �V for Vendetta,� you not only have Natalie Portman having her head shaved on camera, her months of torture, and a little twist with all of that. But during the film, you even have some Matrix references. Like Hugo Weaving�s silhouette talking to Evey, not as V, but as the changer of her life, to make her stronger, and to make her unafraid of her government. Then, there�s rain that falls onto Evey�s bare head that is surely a reference to the Matrix slow-mo �Bullet Time� sequences.

And I�m not giving anything away, but there�s an amazing action sequence in the end that is so hardcore and so crowd-pleasing, you can�t stop smiling or take your eyes off the screen. It is fantastic, and gives you everything that you could ask for.

As does the rest of the movie.

Directed by James McTeigue, who was an assistant director (I think) for �The Matrix Revolutions.� Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, the screenplay was written by Larry and Andy Wachowski. They also produced it, as did the founder of Silver Pictures, one of my favorites...Joel Silver (who did the Lethal Weapon series, the Matrix trilogy, and the Die Hard trilogy).

Grade: B+ (It may be hard to follow).
Re-watch Value: B.
Superhero Movie Scale: A- (While different than most superhero movies, this one still delivers).

Quote of the Film:

"This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-�-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

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