Posted on 03/08/2006 7:18:00 AM PST by goldstategop
[Note: You may perceive some of this column as a "spoiler".]
If you liked the politics of last weekend's Oscar nominees, you'll love "V for Vendetta."
It's an exciting, quality Bin Laden film.
But if you're like the rest of mainstream America--you support our troops, believe in firmly responding to terrorists on our own shores, and/or respect Christianity--then, don't waste your time at this piece of garbage masquerading as a superhero movie. It is anything but.
If most other Hollywood films subtly whisper of an agenda, "V" clocks you over the head with it with a still sizzling, iron frying pan of extreme leftism. It doesn't arrive in theaters until March 17, but already the mainstream (ie. liberal) movie critics and entertainment media are raving about this egregious attack on our war on terror.
"V for Vendetta"
Natalie Portman, Guy Fawkes Mask-wearing "V" Are Terrorist Heroes Based on the graphic novel series of the same name, "V" comes complete with all the bogeymen the far left loves to hate: NSA spying and wiretaps; government renditions and torture complete with Abu Ghraib hood fashions; lecherous, elderly Christian clerics in collars raping young girls; Islam, gay rights, and free speech under attack; and even a Bill O'Reilly-esque evil cable talk show host/wicked pharmaceutical billionaire/heinous military officer combo rolled into one character.
Oh, and by the way, the hero of the movie: He's a terrorist in a Guy Fawkes mask, who blows up important government buildings. Sound familiar? His mask might as well be a kefiyeh wrapped around his head in a Nick Berg video.
The movie takes place in futuristic England, and there is only one American star (Natalie Portman). But it's quite clear to whom the "commentary" is directed: Joe and Jane American. When this movie takes place, "the United States of America" doesn't exist anymore. America is in the midst of a civil war.
And America and the war on Iraq are the enemies--along with Christians and the right--in this movie. We are treated to newscasts about how "America's War [on terror] spread to England." One character--a gay, British Jay Leno type who hosts a latenight show--keeps a secret vault of prohibited items, including a giant poster of "the Coalition of the Willing," depicting the American and British flags surrounding a swastika. Think about our troops fighting and dying in Iraq, before you decide to give your dollars to this film. Do you really think they are Nazis?
Also in the secret vault of sacred prohibited items: a Koran. Portman, whose Evie is the "heroine" of "V," asks, why the Koran? "Are you a Muslim?" she asks the late-night host. "No, but its [the Koran's] images are beautiful." Then he comments about how he can be executed for possessing the Koran. (Not a peep in this film about the thousands who've been executed in the name of the Koran and "its beautiful images.")
Puh-leeze. If anything, both Britain and the U.S. have bent over backwards not only for the Koran, but for its extremist Muslim followers. Where Christian displays are absolutely forbidden in any schools, despite so-called "freedom of speech"; where Ten Commandments are removed from the Alabama Supreme Court, despite their being the basis for our legal system; children are required to learn about Islam, read from the Koran, and behave as Muslims in elementary schools, in the name of "tolerance" and "education."
In "V", while Islam and the Koran are treasured but prohibited, Christianity is pure evil. Nice juxtaposition, when in real life, the 19 hijackers, the '93 WTC, U.S. Embassy, U.S.S. Cole, and British subway bombers were hardly Christians. Hmmm . . . what religion were they? We don't recall Mohammed Taheri-Azar, saying on Friday in his post attempted-murder 911 call, that he tried to use his jeep to kill Americans in the name of Jesus. No, he mentioned someone else's name, another religion . . . which are both nowhere blasphemed in "V."
We've already mentioned the high-ranking Christian priest, who regularly rapes young girls procured for him through an "agency." Before the priesthood, he was an evil military officer at a hospital where politically dissident youth had experiments conducted on them for the government (complete with Abu Ghraib-style hoods).
Then, there's the government. It's run by a religious Christian zealot. But not just any Christian zealot.
No. Chancellor Sutler is the supreme evil Christian. In order to get elected, he and the Bill O'Reilly-esque character (remember, before he became a cable host, he was a pharmaceutical CEO and made billions) arranged for hundreds of Brits to die from chemically poisoned water. The government said that terrorists did it, a story which became accepted fact and the conventional wisdom in media coverage. The fear that ensued garnered Sutler the chance to rule England, along with the Marshal law powers the English parliament gave him.
It's no coincidence that the symbol used for his government is some sort of Cross-come-Swastika combo. Not offended yet?
Under religious Christian zealot Sutler, gays are rounded up, imprisoned, tortured, and executed. Ditto for any dissidents, any left-wing activists, anyone who dares speak out against or flout the Chancellor's actions. Tell that to the ACLU, which seems to be running legal policy in our country, these days, and its partner in crime, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the wealthiest "public interest" group in the U.S., to the tune of hundreds of millions. We don't see any prospect of them being rounded up by the government anytime soon, unfortunately.
Under the religious Christian Chancellor, "unjust" Gitmo-style military tribunals and absurd NSA-style wiretapping is going on at every corner. Throughout the movie, we are shown vans of law enforcement personnel listening in to every home. As if that's what NSA wiretapping was about. It isn't, but "V" drills it into you the way the ACLU wants you to see it: every conversation in every kitchen, etc., secretly being listened in on and laughed at by guys in sweaty, rumpled shirts and ties.
The evil government law enforcement chief, Creedy, runs a meticulously ubiquitous surveillance program nationwide. If only our FBI's Robert Mueller were so competent, we'd be safe. Instead, he's cavorting with extremist Muslims and testified in depositions to ignorance of the most basic newspaper facts about Al-Qaeda.
Overall, the most outrageous thing about "V" is the ending. Instead of vanquishing terror, all of Britain sides with the terrorist hero of this movie. They celebrate his murder of all the top officials in government, his blowing up of the Houses of Parliament and other government buildings.
Terrorists and terrorism are the heroes, the government fighting them and trying to keep us safe are the enemy.
This is the glorious revolution? Osama Bin Laden must be very proud.
Transexual? Where on earth did you get that?
Unfortunately, I'm not surprised so many Freepers will demonize this movie without seeing it.
Maybe that's how these movies make all their money. Instead of using their common sense and reading reviews, apparently people all have to see a film to be critical of its underlying message.
I take it you've never read the comic. Maybe the film is a lot tamer.
I have read the comic. But I can handle viewpoints that disagree with mine. There's still room to disagree in this country, you know.
People have to see a film to be *aware* of its underlying message. It's called coming to your own conclusions.
Interesting. Thanks :)
Bull. You can be given a synopsis. It ain't the lighting or sound editing.
I enjoyed it immensely. I loved the scenes of dialogue between Pacino and Keanu Reeves.
Good movie, I try to catch it whenever it's on cable. Although Reeves' southern accent is a bit hard to swallow, he's good in the role, and Pachino is just fun to watch when he goes over the top!
And there's some good lookin wimmin in it, just not enuf nekkididity! lol
Mark
I know one of the Wachowskis is a transvestite. That's just about where the transsexual angle ends. Where exactly in the comic do they state V is transsexual? Where do they give any hint at all of what he's sent away for?
LOL I agree.
I had a conversation with my aunt over dinner last night, similar to your question. She asked me if I was interested in seeing "Hillary!" (TM) at "a Jewish couple's house" as a fund raiser. You only need to cough up $1000. I told her, flat out, that democrats, and the left, are no longer friends of Jews or of Israel. She just couldn't believe me. And she won't. It's because the MSM (newspapers and TV) don't bother reporting it, and she's not interested in learning anything other than what's being fed to her. And a sad majority of people are doing the same thing, especially in the Jewish community. That's the reason for it.
There's a parallel in the Harry Potter books, where the people really do NOT want to believe that Voldamort's back, and they'll do anything to keep that belief.
Mark
V is not a he. She was a lesbian actress named Valerie.
Of all the theories around that book, that's one of the most outrageous. It's never even close to established.
I read the graphic novel multiple times and have no idea where you get "transexual terrorist".
Just came back from the movie, it's OK. They really simplified the story, made it a lot more straight forward than the graphic novel. If you're a moonbat and regularly use the word "regime" to describe the Bush presidency then you'll think the movie is all about Bush, of course those moonbats think EVERY movie about tyrants is all about Bush. On the other hand if you're sane it's about a definitely but justifiably crazy person using extreme measures to take down a government gone horribly wrong, since he only attacks government buildings, high level government workers and whatever police and military personal are in the way calling him a terrorist isn't really valid, the government IS a legitimate target in war and V is waging a war. There were enough changes in the story that I can see why Alan Moore got pissed but overall it was a pretty good movie yeah the makers think it has a leftist message but so did the guys that made Patton, in the end the message is in how you watch it.
I see. So, rather than read the comic, which it seems you haven't, you rely on Wikipedia for your information. Try reading it, and you'll see the notion isn't even hinted at, no matter what Moore might say after the fact. Not my job to teach you to read, you'll have to handle that on your own.
If it isn't hinted at then what is Valerie's letter?
Citing Wikipedia is an admition of guilt? How am I supposed to back up my assertation without a source? Valerie's letter and the connection is a MAJOR theme in V for Vendetta... Valerie enacting a VENDETTA on the system that took her loves away.
You mean Wikipedia didn't tell you? It was a letter written by a prisoner in the camp. Other than that, you'll have to read the book or see the movie to find out. And when you do, we can discuss. Til then, try not to claim knowledge of things you know nothing about.
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