V for Vendetta

Synopsis: In a future English society, a masked vigilante – V, and working-class girl – Evey, ban together to challenge an oppressive government.

I’ll admit it. When I was told to watch this movie, I scoffed. “I’ve seen too many rip offs of the anonymous mask during the Occupy faze,” I said, “it looks stupid.” “You have to watch it, it’s worth your time,” my friend promised. And you know what? He was right.

Within the first five minutes, I thought I had this movie pegged. A seemingly helpless girl being harassed in an alley at nighttime? Yes, a hero is going to save her. To add to the “cheese factor,” the hero was a masked man who wouldn’t tell the girl he rescued his real name. This scene gave me Spiderman flashbacks in the worst way.

Doesn't this...

look like this?

After the cliche "man saves woman" scene, V asked Evey if she liked music and offered to show her “something she’s never seen before.” What a creepy way to hit on a girl, I thought. But then this happened:

 

Imagine this, but with more 1812 Overture

If there’s one thing I love more than unpredictable characters, it has to be over-the-top explosion shots. Luckily, V For Vendetta gave me both. If blowing up a government building to orchestra music isn’t the definition of extravagant, someone hand me a dictionary.

For most of the movie, the characters are lovable. V likes all things classy and cultured, and Evey seems to fall for his educated charms. Their relationship progresses ideally. We see V making Evey breakfast and Evey watching old movies with V on the couch. These romantic moments intertwine with scenes of V going on a murderous rampage – but somehow I’m okay with that.  

But, as any director will say, things have to take a turn for the worst. Evey is arrested by the government. She is tortured violently and is given crumbs to eat. She doesn’t have a bed, so she sleeps on the floor. After weeks of refusing to snitch on V, they threaten to kill her with a firing squad. She accepts.

With tears in my eyes, I watch as Evey walks down the hall to her death. Here’s where things should get better, I reason, V will save her at the last minute. Evey reaches a door – only to find it connected to V’s home. It was fake, I was tricked! V tortured Evey and shaved her head. Let these words soak in: he shaved her head.

Obviously, V doesn’t care how long it will take Evey to grow that hair back. To top it off, Evey cries for five minutes over finding out it was V that tormented her – not the government. Then, she abruptly forgives him. I wish it were that easy. If I were Evey, I could forgive the torture and sleeping on the concrete floor. But shaving my head would be unforgivable – no matter how many times V made me breakfast.

Choose Wisely, Evey: Your Hair or Breakfast?

In the end, I was a little sad that V died. I would've cried though, if he hadn’t shaved Evey’s head and tortured her. I love a crazy character, but there’s a line between crazy and clinically insane. Overall though, I enjoyed V for Vendetta simply because V was the epitome of “basket case.”