"V" for Vendetta

A few weeks ago, I happened to catch on TV the last part of a movie called "V" for Vendetta.  I was intrigued, though confused, as this is a movie that makes no sense if seen from the middle.  Finally, last weekend, I was able to find the time to rent it and watch it from the beginning.  All I can say is WOW! 

If you haven't seen it, here's the general idea.  In 1605, a man named Guy Fawkes plotted to blow up the Parliament building in London because he wished to depose the king and replace him with another.  The plot was discovered and Mr. Fawkes paid with his life.  The destruction was to take place on Nov. 5, and for a while, Guy Fawkes Day, Nov. 5, was celebrated in England by burning Mr. Fawkes in effigy and shooting off fireworks.    

However, in the movie, a man only known as "V" sees Guy Fawkes not as a villian, but as a hero because he tried to do something about a government he didn't like.  The movie takes place in a Britain that is ruled by a Hitler-like character in a Nazi-like regime, so V doesn't like his government, either.  He is also put off by the fact that he was the unwilling subject of medical experiments conducted by the same government.  So, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask all the time, V starts a one-man program to do what Guy Fawkes tried and failed to do--not just blow up Parliament, but change the government.  His plan is carefully thought out and flawlessly executed, and I found it altogether fascinating.  It involved assasination, persuasion, and manipulation of people, playing on certain personality traits.  V is a complex character--part terrorist, part philosopher, and a pretty good dancer.  He quotes Shakespeare a lot, and wears a black cape, which is always a plus.  V is played by Hugo Weaving, who does a marvellous job, especially considering that you never see  his face.  His acting must be accomplished primarily by voice inflection.

I am not surprised that some in the Occupy Wall Street bunch have started wearing the Guy Fawkes mask, because it's a powerful symbol to anyone who has seen this movie, although I would have thought that the message would have resonated more with the Tea Party folks. 

Anyway, watch it, if you haven't already.  I was in the middle of the movie when I realized I was watching it on Nov. 5, Guy Fawkes Day.  What a coincidence!  Or, as V says in the movie, there are no coincidences.