The plot itself is interesting and well told. It gives the film a purpose and shows a certain amount of political awareness. It suggests that society's problems aren't caused by terrorists, but by our fear of terrorists and what the government does with that fear. Though this idea is the basis for the plot, the film uses it more as an excuse for action sequences then as a complex thematic element worthy of exploration. This helps link the plot-points thematically and prevents the movie from seeming completely pointless, but doesn't provide any material for discussion after the movie is over.
The characters don't provide much to hold on to either. Though Evey and V are each given a back story, they are never really fleshed out as characters. A motive for revenge is not the same as showing what compels a character to seek that revenge. The actors themselves never add anything significant to the characters. All of the acting is adequate and no one can be singled out as being the worst in the film. Ms. Portman, however, seems to be rehashing her performance as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequels, which prevents the bar from being set very high.
Written by Matrix creators the Wachowski Brothers and directed by the Assistant Director of the entire trilogy, James McTiegue, this film owes a lot to those predecessors. The visual style is almost a direct lift from the Matrix films. The use of high contrast film stock is a good example. In this case, the high contrast detracts from the overall aesthetic because it attempts to make the movie seem more "real" and "gritty." Instead, it only succeeds in making the film look like a car commercial. This technique has been overused in action films and now makes them all feel like they "have been done before." Add to this an overwhelming score that is spread thick over every frame and the filmmakers prove that they have no confidence in their own visual abilities. Film is a visual medium. Good cinematography and careful editing are usually enough to convey any emotion. Music should be used to heighten that emotion, not as a billy club to beat the audience into feeling a certain way.
In The Matrix, the Wachowskis perfected the use of bold, iconic imagery to encode a look of "cool" in the films. In V, McTiegue attempts the same thing, but with much less aplomb. Because of this, the props, costumes, and the sets look a little flat and lacking in detail. Rather then creating powerful images that grab and hold the audience's attention, McTiegue only succeeds in trying to use a gimmick.
The failure to create an interesting visual feeling in the movie could be what inspired its editing, which is so fast that even the most patient film-goer may leave the theater with a bad case of ADD. The editor, Martin Walsh, refuses to leave any shot in place for more then a few seconds. This can be a useful technique when in the midst of an action sequence because it keeps things exciting. However, when an entire movie is cut this fast, it becomes irritating. Consequently, when an action sequence comes along and fast cutting becomes necessary, it is no longer effective. Because of this, the movie lacks emotional highs and lows. Everything runs together and each moment feels the same as the one before. This is reflected not just within each scene, but in the pacing of the entire movie. The story takes place over the course of one year, but feels like it takes only a few days. Every event happens so quickly that referencing the date in the dialogue is the only thing that lets the audience know when time has passed.
Film techniques are a lot like crack - use a little and get high, use too much and lose that high. If the filmmakers learned this, they might, one day, create a truly great film. Instead, audiences are treated to yet another mediocrity. V for Vendetta is the kind of film you watch once, but never think about again. It won't cause any serious ripples in the flow of cinematic history, but it won't leave anyone in disgust either. The simplistic way it deals with complex issues, as well as its unoriginal aesthetic prevent it from being memorable. It will provide an amusing way to spend an afternoon, but don't expect anything you haven't already seen.
Overall Grade - C- Stay tuned to the IESB for further updates! |
