A night at the Movies: V for Vendetta
Imagine a world where darkness is the norm and government is oppressive. A world where there is an underground plea to “Remember Remember the 5th of November…”
This is the world of V for Vendetta. Originally a comic book published by Vertigo, a division of DC Comics, it hit the silver screen last weekend, after being delayed from it’s November 5th, 2005 release.
In the world portrayed in V, America has fallen into civil war because of the prolonged conflict in the Middle East and public opinion regarding it; no longer is she the Superpower she once was, much less the “City on a Hill”. Now, England reigns supreme and is governed by an oppressive government that spouted out of the country’s conservative party and considers America a Godless country that has befallen judgment. This government is headed by a man who is “deeply religious”, and as such sees homosexuality as offensive and wrong, consequently tasking the government that he rules with stamping out such a practice. The media in this scenario is controlled by the government and there is a consistent spin that is put upon everything.
Enter Ivey, a girl who lives on her own and works for the British Television Network (BTN). Early in the film she goes out past the curfew set by the government and is in danger of getting raped by the Secret Police who have caught her.
Enter V, a masked man in the style of The Shadow, who uses knives instead of guns. Wearing a mask in the style of Guy Fawkes, the man who sought to blow up parliament in the 1600’s, V is London’s Batman fighting against what he sees as wrong doing and injustice, not on the part of physco-semantic criminals, but the conservative and oppressive government. V saves Ivey, from those who sought to do her harm, and she later saves him as police forces try and kill him after he takes over a television station and broadcasts his message against the government for all to hear.
Much in the fashion of Phantom of the Opera, V takes Ivey to his lair and she stays with him, until later deciding to leave, which ultimately gets her captured by the government police.
The police process and jail her, subsequently torturing her and demanding that she reveal V’s whereabouts. During her confinement, she learns of a prisoner, and hears her story, a story of homosexual love that has since been outlawed. She was jailed and died for that offense. Eventually Ievy is let go and is reunited with V, joining him on his quest to deliver the ultimate blow to the establishment, the destruction of Parliament.
On one level the film was amazing, the acting superb, and the action tense and Matrix-like (which should come as no surprise as the creators of the Matrix did this film). On another the film is disturbing. The fault lies in the message, the politics of the film. It is no secret that Hollywood is liberal and filled with individuals that chide and bash America’s current government and the global conflict that we find ourselves in. As such they see the Republicans, “the conservative party”, a party that is headed by a man who is “deeply religious”, as oppressive and hating of homosexuals because Christian doctrine condemns the practice. This being said a movie was produced so that there could be a blow delivered against those that ascribe to the above political demographic.
It is also no secret that Alan Moore, the comic’s creator, crafted the tale as a strike against Britain under Lady Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s, so in that respect the film stays close to the original intent of the creator’s work.
However, I began to formulate a mental image as I watched the film. I did indeed associate the government portrayed with a country, with many countries – Germany under Hitler, the deposed Taliban in Afghanistan, and more recently, the country of Belarus over in Europe; especially in the final scenes with the protest against the government’s military/police. (If you're not familiar with the country, read some previous posts.) Notice however that I did not name America among the countries that came to mind, nor would I ever. In America we don’t know oppression, we don’t know restrictions; we’re the freest country on earth. America is nothing like what was portrayed.
It’s sad to see such amazing film makers politicizing things as if they are experts in American government, politics, and policy – all because they donate to liberal coffers.
A message to Hollywood: when will you realize that the America hating is old news and doesn’t work? Better luck next time.
This is the world of V for Vendetta. Originally a comic book published by Vertigo, a division of DC Comics, it hit the silver screen last weekend, after being delayed from it’s November 5th, 2005 release.
In the world portrayed in V, America has fallen into civil war because of the prolonged conflict in the Middle East and public opinion regarding it; no longer is she the Superpower she once was, much less the “City on a Hill”. Now, England reigns supreme and is governed by an oppressive government that spouted out of the country’s conservative party and considers America a Godless country that has befallen judgment. This government is headed by a man who is “deeply religious”, and as such sees homosexuality as offensive and wrong, consequently tasking the government that he rules with stamping out such a practice. The media in this scenario is controlled by the government and there is a consistent spin that is put upon everything.
Enter Ivey, a girl who lives on her own and works for the British Television Network (BTN). Early in the film she goes out past the curfew set by the government and is in danger of getting raped by the Secret Police who have caught her.
Enter V, a masked man in the style of The Shadow, who uses knives instead of guns. Wearing a mask in the style of Guy Fawkes, the man who sought to blow up parliament in the 1600’s, V is London’s Batman fighting against what he sees as wrong doing and injustice, not on the part of physco-semantic criminals, but the conservative and oppressive government. V saves Ivey, from those who sought to do her harm, and she later saves him as police forces try and kill him after he takes over a television station and broadcasts his message against the government for all to hear.
Much in the fashion of Phantom of the Opera, V takes Ivey to his lair and she stays with him, until later deciding to leave, which ultimately gets her captured by the government police.
The police process and jail her, subsequently torturing her and demanding that she reveal V’s whereabouts. During her confinement, she learns of a prisoner, and hears her story, a story of homosexual love that has since been outlawed. She was jailed and died for that offense. Eventually Ievy is let go and is reunited with V, joining him on his quest to deliver the ultimate blow to the establishment, the destruction of Parliament.
On one level the film was amazing, the acting superb, and the action tense and Matrix-like (which should come as no surprise as the creators of the Matrix did this film). On another the film is disturbing. The fault lies in the message, the politics of the film. It is no secret that Hollywood is liberal and filled with individuals that chide and bash America’s current government and the global conflict that we find ourselves in. As such they see the Republicans, “the conservative party”, a party that is headed by a man who is “deeply religious”, as oppressive and hating of homosexuals because Christian doctrine condemns the practice. This being said a movie was produced so that there could be a blow delivered against those that ascribe to the above political demographic.
It is also no secret that Alan Moore, the comic’s creator, crafted the tale as a strike against Britain under Lady Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s, so in that respect the film stays close to the original intent of the creator’s work.
However, I began to formulate a mental image as I watched the film. I did indeed associate the government portrayed with a country, with many countries – Germany under Hitler, the deposed Taliban in Afghanistan, and more recently, the country of Belarus over in Europe; especially in the final scenes with the protest against the government’s military/police. (If you're not familiar with the country, read some previous posts.) Notice however that I did not name America among the countries that came to mind, nor would I ever. In America we don’t know oppression, we don’t know restrictions; we’re the freest country on earth. America is nothing like what was portrayed.
It’s sad to see such amazing film makers politicizing things as if they are experts in American government, politics, and policy – all because they donate to liberal coffers.
A message to Hollywood: when will you realize that the America hating is old news and doesn’t work? Better luck next time.
posted by A. R. Welty at 12:15 AM
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