V for Vendetta
Just got back from watching the movie and I just HAD to dedicate a post to it. V for Vendetta is the best movie I’ve watched this year, and a total must-see... thought-provoking, reflection-inducing, and all in all crazy good!
I loved the whole concept behind the movie, and the message it brought across. Displaying Britain under a totalitarian government who leads via fear and demands total control, the situations it portrayed reminded me of that of oppressed Hitler-times Germany, as well as Berlin Wall on the brink of collapse.
the movie begins with a link to a historical incident, with that of a man caught for wanting to blow up a government building using gunpowder, but it is the words itself that left a deep impression in my mind. More often than not, a man may die, but the idea remains... and it is only to that one person that said man has direct contact with, that more than the idea remains.
That first five minute opening already started me thinking, and what followed was even better. V is a man on a mission, and a man who has suffered a lot under the control-freak of a government. Burnt alive and severely scarred, he comes up with a plan to free the people of Britain from their oppression, which, they have inevitably fallen into. And it is only natural. Amidst a world of destruction, wars, diseases, and turmoil (which I find very similar to a world we're living in today), who wouldn't be enticed by the idea of a safe haven offered by the baddie here, the 'grand chancellor'?? and so, by blind following and misplaced trust, an entire nation is slowly ruled and controlled by the fascist totalitarian government, made to adhere to curfews and entirely afraid to leave their homes and be taken away by the secret police. Anyone else see the resemblance to Europe’s historical past?!?
Anyway, the drama continues, and people are slowly made to see the light. I loved how V became the voice of the people, the one man brave enough to start of a revolution, and affect change. and its funny the way the world works - we all can silently suffer and be unhappy, yet refuse to be that one to make change, too afraid of an uncertain future. but once that one someone plants an idea in your mind, once someone gives you that hope and sets you questioning your beliefs and lifestyle, you can eventually come out of that shell you're living in and stand up for yourself. All it takes is a man to lead, and number-derived courage. As history has shown us time and time again, in the Russian revolutions, in communist revolution-era china, it is in numbers that we have power, and no matter our status or social standing, in numbers, we are strong. Singularly insignificant, collectively undefeated.
Even within the ranks of those working in the government, V questions their beliefs and what they work for. In the show for example, the Chief Inspector finds out more than he bargains for while in his quest for V, and realises the atrocities that the government has committed --- purposely inserting poisons in the waters to arose panic, viruses in the underground... the planned death of more than 100,000... Just to create the right chaotic atmosphere guaranteed to induce the people to turn to the government for protection and sanctity. Disgusting? But somehow I find such government acts and conspiracies plausible. And the blaming of such incidents by the government on religious activists? It makes you question what you think about terrorism as well huh? How much is truth, and how much is fabricated lies.
And that mask! At first glance, it is quite eerie. That sardonic smile on the face of a killer. Yet when you think deeper into it, V is simply portraying what the rest of us wear daily. That masks to cover up the flaws and imperfections; and to hide our true identity and ideals... who can deny ever falling prey to it? Like us, he too wears a mask, although in a more obvious manner. Another symbol perhaps, on our actions and tendencies? Haha. I don’t know
Ultimately, the questions that V invokes leave no easy solutions or no suggested solutions to the problems. It simply reminds us that what has happened before, has happened again, and will continue to happen throughout time. It warns us of the danger of putting power in the hands of the wrong people, and reminds us of the way it should be: 'the government should be afraid of the people, not the people of the government' (to quote the movie loosely)... it portrays human flaws, and successfully brings across the ideas of freedom and idealism. It questions who we are, what we live for, and the very world we live in. V starts off as a masked man, and dies as a masked man; but it doesn't matter. For he represents an idea. He represents some part of every one of us, he, like an idea or philosophy... is eternal....
Sorry for the long post... go watch the movie, and please don't kill me for the spoilers!! It’s a great film, and no wonder, it's by the warchowski brothers. Like duh, the ultimate movie makers!!! lol. Can you tell I like the matrix?!? haha. And sorry if I didn’t really make sense, I’m so not cut out to be a movie reviewer. Haha. I never really intended to analyse the movie either, just that it was so great and made me think about so many other things… anyway, till next time! :)
I loved the whole concept behind the movie, and the message it brought across. Displaying Britain under a totalitarian government who leads via fear and demands total control, the situations it portrayed reminded me of that of oppressed Hitler-times Germany, as well as Berlin Wall on the brink of collapse.
the movie begins with a link to a historical incident, with that of a man caught for wanting to blow up a government building using gunpowder, but it is the words itself that left a deep impression in my mind. More often than not, a man may die, but the idea remains... and it is only to that one person that said man has direct contact with, that more than the idea remains.
That first five minute opening already started me thinking, and what followed was even better. V is a man on a mission, and a man who has suffered a lot under the control-freak of a government. Burnt alive and severely scarred, he comes up with a plan to free the people of Britain from their oppression, which, they have inevitably fallen into. And it is only natural. Amidst a world of destruction, wars, diseases, and turmoil (which I find very similar to a world we're living in today), who wouldn't be enticed by the idea of a safe haven offered by the baddie here, the 'grand chancellor'?? and so, by blind following and misplaced trust, an entire nation is slowly ruled and controlled by the fascist totalitarian government, made to adhere to curfews and entirely afraid to leave their homes and be taken away by the secret police. Anyone else see the resemblance to Europe’s historical past?!?
Anyway, the drama continues, and people are slowly made to see the light. I loved how V became the voice of the people, the one man brave enough to start of a revolution, and affect change. and its funny the way the world works - we all can silently suffer and be unhappy, yet refuse to be that one to make change, too afraid of an uncertain future. but once that one someone plants an idea in your mind, once someone gives you that hope and sets you questioning your beliefs and lifestyle, you can eventually come out of that shell you're living in and stand up for yourself. All it takes is a man to lead, and number-derived courage. As history has shown us time and time again, in the Russian revolutions, in communist revolution-era china, it is in numbers that we have power, and no matter our status or social standing, in numbers, we are strong. Singularly insignificant, collectively undefeated.
Even within the ranks of those working in the government, V questions their beliefs and what they work for. In the show for example, the Chief Inspector finds out more than he bargains for while in his quest for V, and realises the atrocities that the government has committed --- purposely inserting poisons in the waters to arose panic, viruses in the underground... the planned death of more than 100,000... Just to create the right chaotic atmosphere guaranteed to induce the people to turn to the government for protection and sanctity. Disgusting? But somehow I find such government acts and conspiracies plausible. And the blaming of such incidents by the government on religious activists? It makes you question what you think about terrorism as well huh? How much is truth, and how much is fabricated lies.
And that mask! At first glance, it is quite eerie. That sardonic smile on the face of a killer. Yet when you think deeper into it, V is simply portraying what the rest of us wear daily. That masks to cover up the flaws and imperfections; and to hide our true identity and ideals... who can deny ever falling prey to it? Like us, he too wears a mask, although in a more obvious manner. Another symbol perhaps, on our actions and tendencies? Haha. I don’t know
Ultimately, the questions that V invokes leave no easy solutions or no suggested solutions to the problems. It simply reminds us that what has happened before, has happened again, and will continue to happen throughout time. It warns us of the danger of putting power in the hands of the wrong people, and reminds us of the way it should be: 'the government should be afraid of the people, not the people of the government' (to quote the movie loosely)... it portrays human flaws, and successfully brings across the ideas of freedom and idealism. It questions who we are, what we live for, and the very world we live in. V starts off as a masked man, and dies as a masked man; but it doesn't matter. For he represents an idea. He represents some part of every one of us, he, like an idea or philosophy... is eternal....
Sorry for the long post... go watch the movie, and please don't kill me for the spoilers!! It’s a great film, and no wonder, it's by the warchowski brothers. Like duh, the ultimate movie makers!!! lol. Can you tell I like the matrix?!? haha. And sorry if I didn’t really make sense, I’m so not cut out to be a movie reviewer. Haha. I never really intended to analyse the movie either, just that it was so great and made me think about so many other things… anyway, till next time! :)
posted by marie @ Wednesday, March 29, 2006
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