Written by Vance Redd, Folks at ‘Noke Editor
The iconic Guy Fawkes Mask returns with V for Vendetta’s 20th anniversary, which was earlier this year in March. So, you may wonder as to why theaters are celebrating the anniversary now instead of then. Well, “remember remember the fifth of November.” This infamous quote comes from the Guy Fawkes English rhyme that recalls the real historical event that is the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and its failure: The plot’s objective was to blow up Parliament and kill King James I and his nobility. It failed when an anonymous letter alerted authorities of Fawkes and his location where he was transporting over 30 barrels of gunpowder underneath Westminster Palace. It was on the fifth of November that Fawkes and his fellows were executed. Back to the film, the character V uses this date and the historical event’s context to remind both the people and the viewers of his master plan, so it fits well that the film will return on that date (and surrounding dates) for showings.
For those unfamiliar with the 2006 film featuring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, let’s have a rundown. Set in a dystopian future where the United States has fallen apart and Britain has been corrupted by a totalitarian regime, an unsuspecting woman (Natalie Portman as Evey) finds herself involved in the plot of a masked vigilante (Hugo Weaving as V) who seeks to pull back the curtain on the evils of the regime and unite the people to collapse the government and install a new one fueled by the voice of the public. Evey struggles to navigate the situation as she recalls the death of her parents who were killed by government agents because they participated as political activists against the growing injustices of the country.
With that plot synopsis alone, it’s clear that the film is quite contentious, and carries some heavy topics with it. Personally, this is why I respect the film as much as I do; it manages to intelligently handle the dark tones and balance them with some Matrix inspired action sequences and suspension of disbelief. Ultimately, the film still stays rooted in its comic book origins but still allows for thought-provoking quotes and political conversation. A lesser-known aspect of the film is that indeed, it is originally a comic book by Alan Moore (who is also known for the darker toned “Watchmen” comic series) and David Lloyd. Technically speaking, V can be labelled as a DC (Detective Comics) character, the same as Batman!
With the film re-releasing briefly, I am curious to see if it will gain popularity again or maybe even provoke some conversation in the media (or even on campus). It will be interesting to see how people perceive its aging, whether that be considered well or poor, in terms of acting, story, and cinematography. Personally, the film is one of my favorites; it stays true to itself and is paced well and has a story that is interesting regardless of current contexts. It is undeniably an engaging film, at least that is how I view, but it is difficult to not perceive a favorite film under a non-bias light. Regardless, if you have not seen the film and are curious, now is the opportunity to! Seize it!
