V: For Vendetta (Debbie Schlussel Updated Review Alert)

If you liked the politics of last weekend's Oscar nominees, you'll love "V for Vendetta."

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 a horribly flawed movie and a perfect example of flawed liberal thinking. It mad me so angry I could just scream.

We know from the first 2 minutes of the movie what the Wachowski brothers are trying to imply (I don’t know if you realize it, but Larry Wachowski got a sex change, can Hollywood get any more perverted… probably… LOL). The movie is not about a fascist government or a socialist government or marxists or communist. It is about a whole fictitious and unbelievable government. A conservative right-wing theocracy so extreme that it could we never exist as long as freedom loving people are willing to fight against tyranny. I mean it goes way too far. Orwellian is an understatement.

As Americans our founding fathers fought AGAINST that sort of thing; and I have a hard time believing that things would ever get that bad without someone taking a stand MUCH sooner.

On the plus side, the movie could be said to be about the importance of freedom... about what could happen if one person (or a small group of people) controlled virtually all branches of government... about what would happen if the media always sided with the ruling party... about what would happen if the government could label anyone that disagreed with them as unpatriotic or lock them up.

On the negative side, in doing this Hollywood seems completely detached from reality (as usual).

For example, in the movie the government convinces people to allow phone calls to be monitored; they allow the government to monitor EVERYTHING, from what they read, to where they go. And the people supposedly allow all this because they are frightened of terrorists.

Now I worry about terrorists as much as the next guy, but this is utter crap. It would be impossible for ANY government to fool an educated populous so completely that they would just surrender their liberties because it makes them feel safe.

I mean sure, maybe something small... like driving the speed limit... that we can all agree on... but privacy is too important to just give away like that. People would never let the government get away with that.

In the US our founding fathers fought for those freedoms... and our brave soldiers over in Iraq die every day defending them. We would simply not allow it. No one would!

Another thing in the movie that bothered me was the portrayal of government censorship. It made Fahrenheit 451 look tame (the book by Ray Bradbury not the movie by that obnoxious pig Michael Moore, someone should shut him up permanently). I mean everything was censored... from anti-government posters... to nude art work... to music with bad words... to pornography. I mean Alberto Gonzales wants to censor porn... but with the exception of John Ashcroft I don't think many people are clamoring for censor our art and music.

Another example, in the movie the government has exploited fear to expand their powers until they could control things like the decisions that we make in our own homes. For example, in the movie, gay people are not allowed to marry. I bet the Hollywood folks loved that... again the poor "oppressed" homosexuals… LOL

Although it makes for a creepy Orwellian story line; free societies believe that people have certain inalienable rights: like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Even for queers.

The movie also imagines a world were religion rules the government. This is also utter nonsense. There are far too many religions in the world. I for one can not imagine any society tolerating the establishment of a national religion... if I remember my history that is exactly what our founding fathers were trying to escape... the Church of England. To imagine a world were people would welcome that back is beyond ridiculous.

Another aspect that I found troubling was that the government in the movie had secret prisons where "terrorists" were held indefinitely and tortured. Again, although I see what the Hollywood folk that made this are trying to say... this again is something that people simply wouldn't tolerate... even out of fear. The bags over the head were a nice touch… I bet these people love Jane Fonda.

And lastly. The biggest problem I had with the movie. The "hero" fights the "tyranny" of the government by being a terrorist... guilty of treason... and calling himself a freedom fighter.

Now while I do understand that our founding fathers blew up English government property... were guilty of treason... and were probably considered terrorists by the English government... there is a HUGE difference.

We are Americans.

And we will always fight back when the government tries to control us or tax us or take away our guns or our liberties or our rights to make our own decisions and control our own lives. That's what makes us freedom fighters and not terrorists.

Like the movie said... The people shouldn't be afraid of the government. The government should be afraid of the people.

And that is something that we never need to worry about. Our government knows that we will rise up if they become too big or too corrupt or if they have too many cronies or if they just start acting like they can do anything they want and we will just allow it! Our government can't get away with things like that we are NOT idiots!

It short... don't go see this movie. Debbie is right. Sometimes I wish there were more limits on free speech.

And we will always fight back when the government tries to control us or tax us or take away our guns or our liberties or our rights to make our own decisions and control our own lives. That's what makes us freedom fighters and not terrorists.

Like the movie said... The people shouldn't be afraid of the government. The government should be afraid of the people.

Our government knows that we will rise up if they become too big or too corrupt or if they have too many cronies or if they just start acting like they can do anything they want and we will just allow it! Our government can't get away with things like that we are NOT idiots!

I have to disagree with you here. The overwhelming majority of Americans will go along with whatever the government says. Yeah, they may argue and complain but they will do NOTHING meaningful to stop it. In fact, in too many cases, they will continue voting for the very people that put those policies in place.

The government has been too big and tyrannical for quite a while now. Every year our liberties get further degraded, REGARDLESS of who controls Congress and who is in the White House.

Tyranny doesn't come in a single shot take over. It comes as a gradual process. I agree that if someone came in today and tried to install full Orwellian-totalitarianism that the American people would not stand for it. But that isn't what is happening, nor what will happen. They will slowly eat away at our liberties, until one day we live in a totalitarian regime and we won't know how or why it happened.

Already the government has far more influence over our everyday lives than they were ever intended. They tax individuals, "oh but it's to ensure that the government has enough money". Then the install welfare programs to make the people dependent upon the government. The people don't stop it because these are for "good" causes. Then they expand the government further, controlling more aspects of life, to "help fight poverty". That's worthwhile so we let it happen. Next thing you know they are requiring us to wear seat-belts and saying we can't smoke... but it's for our own good. Each step along the way makes sense and seems to be for a good cause. By the time we realize that we've lost all freedom and liberty, it will be too late.

I'm sorry, but I completely disagree with you that America is any different. It is only a small few of us that will fight back. It can happen here, it IS happening here and if we don't remain eternally vigilant it WILL happen here.

Sometimes I wish there were more limits on free speech.

I'm going to assume that was a joke and ignore that comment. If you don't understand why, reread my comments above.

Agreed. But I was commenting on the original review of the movie which pointed out (and rightly so) that the Wachowski brothers adapted the original book to create a thinly veiled commentary on the current US administration.

"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."

The history and politics of the UK are certainly worth discussing, but that is not what the review was addressing.

It is disturbing that the British would allow the government to disarm them. They also allow the government to listen to their phone calls, monitor what they read, monitor where they go, force them to carry ID or be arrested and monitor them via video surveillance. They don't seem to understand that if they allow there government to do that they are no longer free and might as well be living in the world portrayed in this movie.

BTW "Sometimes I wish there were more limits on free speech." it is entirely possible that I was being sarcastic ;)

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