Posted on 03/07/2006 7:21:33 PM PST by goldstategop
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 America--you support our troops and believe in firmly responding to terrorists on our own shores--then, don't waste your time at this piece of garbage masquerading as a superhero movie. It is anything but.
If the other political films subtly whisper of an agenda, "V" clocks you over the head with it with a still sizzling, iron frying pan.
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 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. Lest I forget, when this movie takes place "the United States of America" doesn't exist anymore. America is in the midst of a civil war.
The reporter was played by Mark (The Beast Master) Singer - a pretty cool actor. I watched every episode but don't remember a whole lot. The one scene I remember was watching a female alien dropping a mouse down her throat like a goldfish. Also Robert (Freddy Krueger) Eglund (spelling) play a sympathetic alien who ended up helping the Earthlings. I also remember Richard Herd (George Costanza's boss with the Yankees - Mr. Wihelm) as the head bad guy in those goofy sunglasses and his bright red pajamas. On the other hand, maybe I do remember more than a little (grin).
Good memory, I googled it and was surprised I described the correct series.
I love Alan Moore and I'll check out V.
I understand the reaction - but this is really worth a viewing if it's half as good as the graphic novel was.
See, it's not all bad.
A filmmaker buddy of mine saw it at the Berlin Film Festival (he was on the jury). When I told him I was looking forward to seeing it, he nearly came across the table and strangled me. "Do not see this movie!" he implored, "It is one of the worst films I have ever seen. You will never get that two hours back!"
Interesting perspective.
The author of the graphic novel has very vocally and publicly disassociated himself from the movie... but reportedly he wasn't pleased with the other two adaptations of his books either.
The comic this movie is based on was a pretty good rehashing ( or rip-off) of Orwells 1984. when I heard the author Alan Moore had disavowed the movie I could smell the moonbat angle a mile away. Skip it is my advice.I might download load it the day before it comes out and burn it. Fight the Power hippies.
Alan Moores Swamp Thing is my all time favorite series though, great stuff. Sandman ( Neil Gaiman)is a close 2nd..................
*sticks fingers in ears*
You will not spoil my planned 2 hours of Natalie Portman goodness...
My pal didn't mention the politics of the movie. He was talking about the quality of the scripting, acting, and directing. I'll still see it... on Netflix.
That sucks, because I love movies where the good guy is fighting the system.
During the beginning of the matrix I thought it was crap because you see trinity stop mid air and beat up 4 cops, then jump over the building, and I thought, wow this movie is going to suck pretty bad, until the cop who saw Agent Smith jump that high, said "Thats impossible". Then i was hooked. I can't stand movies where impossible things happen without explaination, but with a cool explaination all the better.
Its more clear n the book, that he does not want a right wing or left wing government, but no government at all just chaos.
Several things.
1) The main character is not a libertarian, he is an anarchist.
2)Alan Moore has renounced this film and now may sue them for implying that he endorsed when he in fact condemed it.
3)The serial was inspired by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.
4)The wasnowski brothers, both big fans of serial are not hiding the fact that this is a political movie and both are quite liberal if not leftists.
What I love are the trailers and the marketing campaign. "It's just like The Matrix! You liked The Matrix, right? Or maybe you're more the Die Hard type. Look! Natalie Portman goes bald just like Bruce Willis!" All the while never telling you anything the movie's about. It's a little like the bait and switch of the red-state Brokeback Mountain ads that focused on the guys' wives and children.
But the slathering cover story in Entertainment Weekly gives it away.
"V for Vendetta is set around the year 2020. The world is in turmoil. News reports announce that the 'Ulcerated Sphincter of Asserica' is torn amid civil war and chaos. Meanwhile, England is ruled by fascists that control the media and suppress free speech. Homosexuals have been rounded up and shipped to internment camps. Citizens are executed for owning copies of the Koran..."
"[It] may be the most subersive studio film to come out in the wake of 9/11. It's hard to think of a current hot button the movie doesn't press. State-sanctioned torture? Check. Wiretapping? Yep. The politics of homosexuality? You bet. Bioterrorism, the avian flu, the Iraq War, and pedophile priests? They're all covered."
Oh, no. No tinfoil hatted agenda here. I predict a big opening weekend but that's about it.
2. Debbie Schlussel lost all credibility when she drank the Kool Aid on the Ports issue.
I think I'll give it a miss......
Republicans/Conservatives have got to stop seeing themselves in every film, book, story, TV Show, etc. that depicts a dystopian future that invokes a big brother-like dictator and omnipresent government monitoring. We're not like that, we don't desire nor condone such a thing, so why do so many act insulted whenever such a setting is used in some form of mass media entertainment? Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar or a fictional big brother tyranny is just a fictional big brother tyranny. I will reserve judgement on V until I see it and I suspect that like so many other films that were panned by conservatives as somehow hitting too close to home that V will be just another decent sci-fi flick.
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