Queer Review: V for Vendetta (2006)

V for Vendetta
Director: James McTeigue
Writers: Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski. Based on the graphic novel by David Lloyd.
Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

-V for Vendetta

Overview
V for Vendetta is a complex sci-fi tale, set in Britain in the near future where the totalitarian government has absolute control over the populace. Utterly compelling, the provocative philosophizing it engages in gives viewers plenty of thematic material to think about.

Synopsis
Evey (Natalie Portman) is an ordinary woman who is stopped by the Fingerman (the movie's secret police), when walking on the streets one night past curfew. Before they can carry out their plans (which include rape and assault) she is rescued by the mysterious V, a masked vigilante whose plans include destroying the all powerful government and replacing it with anarchy. The first step in V's complex plan is blowing up the Old Baily, which sets in motion a series of events he hopes will end with the destruction of the current government led by Adam Sutler (John Hurt).

The Queering
Controversial for a very good reason, V for Vendetta is the type of movie that takes it's main theme of anarchy so far that it refuses to endorse a central thesis of any kind. Instead, we are required to decide for ourselves what to think of V's plans and actions. Stop for a moment to contemplate the following, V is a terrorist who uses violence and fear as his main tactics. There are more than a few parallels between Osama Bin Laden and V regarding tactics (blowing up buildings) and goals (bringing down a government).

Acting wise, Hugo Weaving does more with his face hidden behind V's Guy Fawkes mask, than most actors are capable of when they are not faced with such restrictions. Natalie Portman is good, although her occasional slip ups with the British accent can be distracting. Stephen Fry, John Hurt, and Stephen Rea all provide solid support.

I would also like to point out how impressive the cinematography is. There are many shots that obviously took a great deal of effort to create and from a technical standpoint, it's hard to find a better composed movie. More than one sequence has a ferocious and poetic grace capable of raising the neck hairs.

V for Vendetta does two things worth mentioning in regards to it's gay characters. For one, it "gays up" a character. Stephen Fry's originally in the comics straight character, Dietrich, reveals to Evey when she goes to him for shelter, that his deepest secrets are kept buried in the closet. Two, in a rather touching sub-plot that also shows the plight suffered by queers under Sutler's regime, it is revealed that it was a lesbian who inspired V to begin his revolution. While V for Vendetta may not be "one of the most pro-gay" movies ever - as suggested by Sarah Warn - as both of the gay characters die before the end, the positive steps forward made here are worth celebrating.

The Recomendation
Given the care the movie was put together with, the positive portrayals of it's gay characters, the entertaining storyline that combines action with philosophical provocativeness, I have to give this movie a high recommendation. V for Vendetta is worth seeking out for anyone, not just those who can appreciate over the top comic book adaptations.

The Rating:

Queer Review: Watchmen

I can remember when I first saw Watchmen in the theaters. I was immediately entranced by the characters and the off center world that had been created by the filmmakers to bring Alan Moore's and Dave Gibson's comic book world to life.

Watchmen tells the story set in an alternate version of history, where the U.S. won the Vietnam war and costumed vigilantism/crime fighting - which had become popular for a period - has been outlawed. This is a dark world; where each character is more flawed and twisted then the next.
The impetuous that moves the plot forward is the murder of The Comedian/Edward Blake (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Rorschach - the one vigilante who refused to give up crime fighting after it was outlawed - begins to investigate, believing that his death is part of a secret plot to kill off all former masked crime fighters. At the same time, the world moves closer to nuclear holocaust as the U.S. and U.S.S.R (the current part of the story is set in the 1980's) engage in an international version of chicken.

Zach Snyder (who also directed 300), tells the story in a highly stylized manor, that some people may find off putting, but which I found to be perfect for this tale. The musical score is one of my favorite soundtracks. I would say that only Black Snack Moan has a better soundtrack.

Watchmen has a complex back-story, which is better fleshed out on The Ultimate Cut version then the theatrical version - which also includes The Tale of the Black Freighter edited into the story, just like it is in the comic book. The Tale of the Black Freighter is a story within a story, that tells of a ships captain, whose shipping vessel has been sunk by evil pirates resulting in him being stranded on a deserted island. He escapes by creating a raft using timber from the ship and the bodies of his deceased crew and heads to save his family, who he believes to be the next next targets. However, his struggles to get home leave him delirious, and he inadvertently kills his own wife, believing her to be a pirate.

This story has many thematic parallels with the main plot of Watchmen, particularly the ending, which asks the age old question of, do the ends justify the means? In addition, the movie also focuses on the reasons why the films "heroes" choose to fight crime. Is if for love of violence? (The Comedian) Fame and attention? (Silk Specter) To soothe dark personal demons? (Rorsach) In this sense, the film, like it's comic book counterpart, is a deconstruction of superhero mythology.

One character I want to discuss is, Adrian Vight/Ozymandias (Matthew Goode), who in the comic book is openly gay. In the Ultimate Cut, Rorschach refers to him as a "possible homosexual". In both comic book and movie, Vight is frequently surrounded by pink or purple triangles and pyramids.

Rorschach, whose mask consists of the changing ink blots from the test that shares his namesake, is also very homophobic, yet I loved the character anyways. The only thing that can forgive me for that, is that he's searingly portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley, who gives the movie's most memorable performance.

Also, Dr. Manhattan/Jon Osterman (Billy Crudep) is the only character with any sort of superpower (other than perhaps Vight who's super smart and fast enough to catch a speeding bullet, which he does at one point). Dr. Manhatten spends much of the movie in the buff, which means every reviewer, male and female, pretty much ends up mentioning his giant blue penis, so I might as well. So I agree, and will admit that it's very blue.

To round this all up, Watchmen is the type of movie that will appeal to people who like their villains dark and their heroes darker. It's not for everyone, and having read the comic book first will certainly aid in comprehension. I count Watchmen as among my favorite movies and therefore, naturally, highly recommend it.