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intereact!Director: James McTeigue
Actors: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, and John Hurt
Rated: R (Restricted)
Retail Price (not our price): $26.98
Release Date: 2006-08-01
Theatrical Release Date: 2006-03-17
Studio: Warner Home Video
Run Time: 132 minutes
Format: Array
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Discs: 2
Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
1) Amazon.com
"Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V for Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary, to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who played Winston Smith in the movie 1984), whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After they gained power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot, and his philosophy on how to induce change. Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V for Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski Brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current U.S. political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob BraccoOn the DVDs On disc 1 is a 16-minute documentary "Freedom! Forever!: Making V for Vendetta" with discussions on the movie's origin and themes by the principal cast and crew (no Alan Moore or Wachowskis, to no one's surprise, but the graphic novel's illustrator David Lloyd is on hand to call the movie "a very good version"). On disc 2 is a 17-minute production featurette, a 10-minute history of Guy Fawkes, and the 15-minute "England Prevails: V for Vendetta and the New Wave in Comics." Lloyd and others from the comics industry such as Paul Levitz and Bill Sienkiwicz talk about the graphic novel and how it appealed to a different, older audience. The second menu of the second disc also has an easy-to-find Easter egg of a rapping and swearing Natalie Portman on Saturday Night Live. --David HoriuchiBeyond the Film The graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd More by Alan Moore From Graphic Novel to Big Screen More by Natalie Portman More by Hugo Weaving More by the Wachowski Brothers
Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5
1) Brave, Challenging, Smart [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I was fortunate in that I brought no expectations to this film. I didn't know it was from the "Matrix" crowd, a film I very much enjoyed. If anything I thought it was one of those dumb Batman, Spiderman super-hero movies that offer light entertainment - the artistic equivalent of cotton candy. What I found instead was that rarest of all creatures, a blockbuster film with wonderful production values that entertains and actually engages the mind by posing interesting and difficult questions.Hugo Weaving does more with his voice and movements than most actors do with their entire toolkit; he was perfectly cast as the man behind the mask. Natalie Portman is excellent as the reluctant co-conspirator, drawn into V's world. Stephen Rea is downright great as Chief Inspector Finch, our "everyman" figure who must sort through the rubble to dislodge truth. John Hurt seems to be channeling William Smith from 1984, with a soupcon of Hitler, his frenzy and fury are thoroughly convincing.What makes the film so brave and unusual is that, in our nervous age, it actually casts a terrorist as hero. This is heady stuff and reminds us that, "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." V presents an interesting blend of instant karma, righteous vengeance, and social idealism. Though his motives are personal, he does understand them in a larger context. His handoff to Portman at the finish recalls the desire of Generals to create a world where their children can study philosophy.V is unlike many movies in that it has a superb 2nd act. Portman's time in the faux prison, and the powerful epistolary relationship with the unseen individual one cell over, provide this film with a compelling underlying humanity. Political references abound in V, as do film references, and they all serve to reinforce the core idea that governments really are created to serve people, not vice versa, and when that ceases to be the case, something must be done. Perhaps the discomfort surrounding this film would be diminished if we all recalled that's precisely what our beloved founding fathers did.2) Lighting Up the Darkness [Rating: 5 out of 5]
It was a simply incredible piece! The acting is stellar, plot strikingly relevant, and the message of freedom by any means is a thought that needs to be rekindled in the global society in general and the US specifically. V is a heroic freedom fighter going against a totalitarian right-wing state that created a terrorist attack against its own population. This attack was blamed on Muslims and rallied national support for the elimination of all political freedom....sounds familiar... The movie is to relevant to be ignored! In a day when even "The arsenal of democracy" is using its own constitution as a rag and the people are blindly complying due to fear mongering, the idea of freedom is becoming obscure. V for Vendetta is a cinematic representation of the struggle against the rise of global tyranny. Some may criticize the violence used in the film for political ends. I would assume the same people would have been against military action against Hitler. "Violence can be used for good" and that is something that should not be forgotten when governments fail to meet their obligations to the people. Many have forgotten that part of the Declaration of Independence. The movie does deviate from its anarchist roots but I think the change was for the better and made the film carry more power and meaning for the post 9-11 age. Enough of these cowardly actions that are being taken in the face of fear. Fight for infinite freedom! Right wing, left wing, or anything in between it is a must see! "When fascism comes it will be draped in a flag carrying a cross."3) The product is excellent [Rating: 5 out of 5]
V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)The product is excellent. The Movie is Super!! EXCELLENT!!4) An absolute stunner [Rating: 5 out of 5]
V For Vendetta is the rarest of things: A work of art that manages to be both commercially viable and uncompromisingly subversive. It's an arrestingly stylish, devastatingly smart movie whose every scene demands attention and contemplation. Without being preachy or condescending, it demands that its viewers think. Without resorting to cliche or cheap sentiment, it packs a hell of an emotional wallop. Without resorting to cardboard-cutout characterization or vague moralizing (and this is the really cool part), it sends an impossible-to-ignore message about right, wrong, oppression, revolution, responsibility, and the role of the individual. And at the same time, it's incredibly fun to watch.The plot is a bit complex (and besides, watching the story unfold is half the fun. Well, more like a third of the fun. But I digress...), but here's what you should know: Our story takes place in an unpleasant future. England has fallen under the power of a very oppressive, very totalitarian regime, which has come to power by riding a wave of fear triggered by a surge in terrorist attacks. Free expression and democracy are things of the past, all information is controlled by the government, anyone who complains winds up disappearing, and God help you if you're a Muslim. What sets this brave new world apart from (and ahead of) other, lesser cinematic dystopias is its incredible atmosphere. This England is a creeping sort of nightmare, a strange and hostile place that evokes dread and paranoia with a throbbing undercurrent of tension. As anyone who's ever been across the pond (for those of you joining us from Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia, "on your side of the pond") can probably tell you, the setting of V For Vendetta is an uncannily dark mirror image of the Isle that we all know and love. It's atmospheric, hypnotic, and undeniably powerful. This setting is populated by an equally engaging cast of heroes and villains- from the charismatic and utterly ruthless High Chancellor Adam Sutler to the oddly sympathetic government inspector Eric Finch to the film's twin protagonists, Evey Hammond and V, just about everybody in this film is a wonderfully drawn, finely crafted example of characterization at its sharpest. It's a stage full of Hamlets and Mia Wallaces, without a single Jar Jar Binks to ruin the flow.The story itself, which concerns V's yearlong crusade against the tyranny that has fallen on hi nation, is simply brilliant. V himself is a stunningly drawn character, an incredibly complex man whose cool charisma and literate style belie a troubled, vulnerable sort of humanity. It's not always easy to agree with his methods- he resorts to acts of violence that border on anarchic terrorism- but therein lies the brilliance of the movie: V For Vendetta doesn't aim to make us blindly sympathize with its central character. Rather, it demands that we think, forces us to consider our own views on revolution, freedom, revenge, and violence. Is it right to defy a government if we see its actions as unjust? Can one man's actions speak for the ideas of many? Is it ever right to kill another human being? The questions may be as old as time, but this movie casts them in a startlingly new light.And it's entertaining, too: The plot is genuinely suspenseful and engaging, full of twists, and revelations. The action scenes are fantastically choreographed, the dialog is razor-sharp, the visuals are unforgettable, and the climax is simply gorgeous. This one oughtta go down as a classic.5) Love this Movie [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This movie is a wakeup call. Not to say that in this great nation of ours that we are headed towards the wrong way or the right way. Just that we as a society have fallen asleep at the wheel. It was said that every 20 years or so that a revolution needs to take place so that politicians understand that they work for the people and not the other way around. Move has great meaning. Some people might not like it or might need to watch it twice to grasp all that happens. I love this movie!The premise of the movie is a bit like George Orwell's 1984 - the government needs to control its people and owns the news stations that report propaganda to the people. It later comes out that certain people in the government have been terrorizing the people to take away their civil liberties. This masked man (who was a government test subject - but survived) is out to help inform the public. It's a matter of if he can get the public to support his revolution. That as much as I should say to not spoil the story.