V for Vendetta is that rare thing amongst big budget Hollywood films – a surprise. I came to it expecting a run of the mill action film with a little bit of politics thrown in, but found something more complex and thought-provoking.
The film is set in a futuristic Britain under the control of a fascist, manipulative government. The media are puppets of that government, blaming Britain’s problems on homosexuals, immigrants and Muslims and spreading misinformation. The people seem powerless and subdued and isolated from the rest of the world.
Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) is walking the streets one night when she is attacked by government thugs for being out after curfew. She is saved in true swashbuckling fashion by a masked figure, styling himself after Guy Fawkes (Hugo Weaving) who stuns her and the government by blowing up the Old Bailey whilst he stands on a rooftop “conducting” the explosions.
“V” is an interesting figure with mixed motivations, some personal, some idealistic. We learn more about both in the course of this picture as he talks with Evey. The role is a tough one, played from behind a fibreglass mask, yet Weaving is up to the task and conveys subtleties of character and emotion with his expressive voice and gestures.
Weaving also shares good chemistry with Portman that, like the morality of the film, is complex and thoughtful. Whilst relationships in action films often feel incidental, this feels integral to the success of the story. Our understanding of “V” is informed by her own yet never feels prescriptive – we can think what we will of him.
Portman is excellent and it is fascinating to watch her character transform through this movie as Evey gets caught up in events, learning more about the events that have caused British society to change. The film calls on Portman to show considerable range and subtlety of performance.
In one particularly disturbing scene we see her imprisoned, broken down and tortured mentally. It would be easy for an actor or actress to make the mistake of giving a big performance, reminding us that they are acting. Portman makes no such mistake, almost underplaying the scene and the scene is all the more effective for that as it gives us space to contemplate what it must be like to be treated in such a horrific fashion and to have your dignity stripped away from you.
Also impressive is John Hurt in a small but dominating role as the head of state, Chancellor Sutler. For most of the film he is seen on a wall-sized television screen, interrogating his underlings. He gives off an impressive, brutal dignity that is beautifully undermined later in the film.
Further support comes from Stephen Fry as a talkshow host who Evey works with, Rupert Graves and Stephen Rea as the policemen charged with tracking down “V” and Tim Pigott-Smith as the head of security. Each are excellent and make significant impacts in relatively short periods of screen time.
V for Vendetta is a bold and challenging movie. Some of its ideas will make people feel very uncomfortable and certainly its climax will inspire mixed reactions in its audience.
Some may object to the film’s freedom fighting stance, feeling that it is a comment on politics today. Others are likely to take away the message that we have the responsibility to educate ourselves and to take the matter of who rules us seriously.
The film’s success is that it prompts discussions and makes us think. It invites us to engage in a moral debate - what would you do if you were in Evey’s position and there was a totalitarian government in Britain. If the world didn’t care and there seemed to be no end in sight. I may not have liked the answer this film gives but I appreciated it asking the question.