Draft Review of V for Vendetta

I wrote this just after watching the film at the Cinema

A friend at work has just bought the DVD and my review came up in conversation with someone else. Anyway here it is.

Anarchy, democracy, fascism and V for Vendetta

While this is a review of a film, and basically a film (especially one made by Hollywood) is never going to change anyone's way of life or way of thinking, I would suggest the issues of personal responsibility, and styles of government that it raises are valid. I'm going to leave out any spoilers so hopefully won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it.

But first a bit of history about the source material. It was created by Alan Moore (whose name you will not see anywhere on the film) and David Lloyd in the early 80's as a response to then Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher. The reason Alan Moore wanted to have his name taken off it is best described here http://www.alanmoorefansite.com/news.html#moorevfv

While it's never actively discussed in the film, it has three basic ideologies running through it. Fascism as shown by Norsefire (the Government), and Anarchy as practised by V. The examples of fascism used are the concentration camps populated by homosexuals, non white races and any undesirables. The use of torture, breaking curfews punishable by imprisonment, medical testing are all elements of the nature of the fascist Government. V's response to this is to attempt to show to the people that they are mainly to blame for letting the situation get to this level. He also practices Insurrectionary Anarchism tactics to try to cause the Government to lose control. (ie he blows stuff up). Democracy is the third ideology however it is arguable whether it's in the film or not. It's power if felt by it's lack.

It's far too easy to say the Government in the film is based on Bush's current government or indeed on Thatcher's 80's Government (although both [and many others] have shown elements that cause worry, Clause 28 in the UK and elements of the privacy laws in the US) It's about the Government that could happen if people allow themselves to be ruled by fear and abdicate responsibility to the Government.

"A people shouldn't be afraid of it's Government , a Government should be afraid of it's people" As my copy of the book is several thousand miles away I'm not sure if this quote is in the book. However as V's inital soliloquy I'm pretty sure if lifted straight from the book it wouldn't suprise me.