Wink: An Online Journal
Film Review: Michael Greco
Instructor: Tracy Helixon
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V for Vendetta
When an injustice has been done, sometimes a vendetta is the only way to end things. The film V for
Vendetta explores this idea and illustrates the passion to fight for justice. The movie takes place in a
future London, where a detective searches for a masked vigilante seeking revenge on the people who
terrorized him long ago. This film is emotionally moving with never ending suspense. V for Vendetta has
amazing fight scenes, a political tone, and an unforeseen love story.
V for Vendetta has many extraordinary fight scenes. The main character (known as V) wears a black
Zorro-like outfit and a smiling white ivory mask that has a black mustache, eyebrows, and goatee painted
on it. On each hip, he holsters three sharp swords and two daggers. He is on a mission to punish
members of an evil governmental group, and fight for freedom along the way. In the beginning of the film,
V comes in contact with three dirty cops in an alley. With his quick fighting skills, V gets two of the brutes
down on the ground before they can attack, and he sends the other one crawling away like a baby.
Another example of this film’s astonishing fight scenes is near the end of the film. In this scene, it’s V
versus twelve armed military police agents. The agents circle around V and he is asked to remove his
mask. He refuses and two of the agents approach him with rifles and try to lift the mask. V quickly grasps
for the daggers that rest near his sides and slices both agents in one precise motion. The ten remaining
agents begin to fire an array of bullets into V. After being annihilated by hundreds of bullets he slowly
kneels to the ground before rising back up and stating, “My turn.” With V’s stylish karate-like moves he
seems to dance around the agents, slashing each one with his swords along the way. The fighting effects
in this film are eye catching and jaw dropping.
Not only does this film have amazing fight scenes, but it shows a political tone with its harsh government
laws, cruel punishments, and a nation on the verge of a revolution. It’s the future in London, and the
government has taken over, suppressing its citizens. The citizens have succumbed to the evil Chancellor
Adam and his hard, iron fist. In the opening scene, a young woman named Evey gets caught out past the
government-mandated curfew by a dirty underground cop, also called a finger man. He attempts to
assault her and tells two of his fellow finger men to join him. This is only one of the ways that the finger
men use their power to manipulate citizens. V wants to send a message to the people of London to stand
up and revolt against the Chancellor. To do this, he breaks into a news station to broadcast his plan. He
urges all the people of London to meet at the clock tower on November the 5th to stand up to the
government. Many of London’s people are in despair and want the freedoms that V speaks of. The
political aspect of this film greatly adds to its appeal and emotion.
That’s not the films only appeal; it has a surprising heart felt love story. V, the main character in the film,
is on a mission for revenge. In the process, he sees a young woman named Evey about to get assaulted
and saves her. He runs into her again later on, and she helps him get out of a bind with detectives. This
allows V to make his move and escape. V befriends Evey and takes her back to his mysterious
residence. While at V’s home, they share a lot about each other. Evey learns from V about the
government’s evil doings and his terrible past. Evey shares her own story of a tragic encounter with the
government. The compassion can be felt through the great acting and well written dialogue. There is a
scene in the movie where the love that is felt between V and Evey is finally expressed. V is badly injured
and laying on the ground. Evey holds him in her arms and she says, “I don’t want you to die.” V tells Evey
that he had stopped feeling any kind of emotion until the day he first met her.
“You made me feel again,” he says to her, “That is the most beautiful thing you could have given me.”
This is a very emotional moment in the movie.
V for Vendetta has all the appeal of an action adventure film, but with a heart felt story line. The fight
scenes bring visual enjoyment, while the political tone gives the film an emotional touch. The underlining
