Now I Know Why Alan Moore Washed His Hands

Recently I have been on a major graphic novel reading kick. Reading new ones and revisiting ones I have previously read. You’ll see some of those later as I post some reviews of them. So, since V for Vendetta was fresh in my mind, I venture forth to see the film version. Right from the start I knew that I would have to keep my groans to myself as the film distanced itself from the graphic novel. Alan Moore requested that his name be removed from the credits, and after watching the film I can understand why.

The opening scene of the graphic novel is Evey walking the streets looking to find a john for her very first foray into prostitution. This small occurrence asserts that everyone is experiencing bad times, and that even an innocent girl has to whore herself to survive. This is a powerful image to begin with, and concentrates the reader on the ideas about to be presented. The film has Evey (Natalie Portman) working for the media. Blah, my first groan and only signs of things to come.

I really wanted to like this film and wanted to say to Alan Moore “you idiot this was great.” But that was not to be. It took me a day or two to realize that I really did not like this film. It was a case of the book being better, but I also think that the ideas are better. The main goal behind the graphic novel was not to present the story as a man against another man. It was V, opening the door for the people of England to revolt against a fascist government that was controlling every aspect of their daily life. They needed V to open their eyes. The fascist government was more reminiscent of 1984, using media and rewriting history. There were echoes of Nazism with the unacceptable rounded up and slaughtered or experimented on, but this was also a part of 1984. The film veered away from this drastically. V becomes more than just an instigator (which in the graphic novel he fully realizes which is why he never sees himself as a good guy), he becomes an anti-hero; one man against not a government but another man. Adam Sutler (John Hurt) is the ego-maniacal dictator whose personal agenda leads the country. He becomes a Hitleresque character, or as some have noted a close approximation to GW Bush. The film relies heavily on images that conjure up the Nazis while downplaying the 1984 vibe. I think that this moves the film drastically away from the original text, making V nothing more than a terrorist, and a somewhat crazy one at that.

There were some good aspects to the film. As a fellow viewer in front of me commented, “Those explosions were cool!” I have to agree, especially with The 1812 Overture playing in the background. The film does not lack spectacular effects, which makes sense since this is directed by the Wachowski brothers of The Matrix fame. I also thought that the scenes with Evey entrapped by (SPOILER ALERT) V was one of the better transitions from novel to film.

I could go much further with how the film strays from the graphic novel, but then you may not read the graphic novel, which I highly suggest. So was this a bad film? Really, with what Hollywood is putting out, this was at least an effort. If you have not read the graphic novel, this film may be more meaningful, but having read the novel I was expecting more. Now I know that no comic will ever transfer perfectly, but sometimes the director’s personal vision should remain just that. Let the comic speak and do your best to help it speak. Remember; ideas will never die but eventually the people creating them will. So bravo Alan Moore for standing up for an idea, and boo to you Wachowski brothers for trying to take it away.

By the way, go to Amazon and pick up V for Vendetta.