An evening well-spent: V for Outstanding

V for Vendetta

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding 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, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you, and you may call me V."
-V’s introduction to Evey


I feel that I can hardly do any justice to this film. However, I’d just like to say that it was amazing. With monologues like the one above, the creativeness and way with words of the writer virtually demand respect and surely spark my envy. V for Vendetta has it all: replete with drama, action, suspense, and hints of romance and comedy. Shakespeare is worked into the dialogue, and the caliber of original writing is, as already mentioned, superb. Thanks to the Wachowski brothers, there are definite hints of the Matrix in the stylized action scenes. These scenes are not the foundation on which the movie is built but rather a complement to the already solid plot. Another Matrix tie-in would be Hugo Weaving. On this occasion, though, he is not the rigid Agent Smith but the vindictive anarchist, V. His face is never seen, but the voice is unmistakable, despite being more emotive than his prior character, Smith. There is even a scene which is reminiscent of sped-up chase sequences from Benny Hill and the Keystone Kops. This is a short-lived glimpse at humor in a movie based upon the uprising of a people against tyranny while being lead by a vigilante donning a Fawkes mask.

I’ll leave you with this poem based on the Gunpowder Plot, a key part of the history involved in film’s story line.

Remember, remember
the 5th of November,
the gunpowder, treason and plot;
I know of no reason
why the gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.