V For Vendetta

As I might have mentioned, Robyn and I went to see the preview of V For Vendetta tonight and by all accounts, it was very, very cool…

I had read the graphic novel, so I knew what to expect, but the first change between this and the novel was the time shift, it’s now set about 15 years in the future, as opposed to “modern times” (well, 1997) and a few of the events are changed around slightly, but overall it has kept to the original novel very closely. Another change is the dropping of the nuclear war that brought about the totalitarian government in the UK in favour of the more topical “America’s War.”

To sum it up briefly, it follows V (Hugo Weaving, who I kept expecting to say “Mr. Anderson” or “Frodo Baggins of The Shire”), who plots a rather theatrical way to overthrow the facist government and kill all those who have wronged him in the space of a year, starting and ending on November 5th, aka Guy Fawkes Night in the UK. Along the way he rescues and eventually recruites Evey (Natalie Motherfucking Portman) to his “cause.”

Now, some people aren’t happy about the useage of a terrorist/freedom fighter/anarchist as a hero (more like anti-hero if anything) and that’s all fair and good, but c’mon now, it’s just a freaking action movie… An action movie I really enjoyed… Though I have to admit I felt somewhat indifferent when the Houses of Parliament were blown up at the end, most people around me thought that was a cool bit, but I guess it’s comparable to them seeing the White House blown up in Independence Day, it was kinda cool, but a bit scary at the same time…