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March 23, 2006
V for Vendetta
I went out to see a movie the other night. I know, I couldn't believe it either. The last movies I've seen in theaters were Brokeback Mountain, Walk the Line, and before that it was the Fantastic Four.
I went to see V for Vendetta. I was actually really impressed. I had no idea it would be such a good movie. The plot centers around a Guy Faukes character named V who hopes to destroy the orwellian society that has been created in the future Great Britain. There are men that go around the city listening in on conversations in houses; censorship of the media is prevalent; and homosexuals, muslims, and hippies have all been arrested and interned or are in hiding. The government has used terrorism to keep people in fear, justifying the breach of human rights.
The movie's political message is quite clear, and one can draw parallels with the current administration in the United States. The accents, the humor, and the setting might be different, but the argument is the same. Herman Goering put it best:
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
The antithesis to Goering's idea is the protagonist of the movie: V believes that the government should fear its constituents, not vice versa. In fact, V always remains masked througout the entire movie, believing himself to be an idea rather than a person. And using Guy Faukes as a disguise and some talented rhetoric, he manages to eventually inspire Natalie Portman to become the vector of the idea that he embodies. His methods are somewhat far-fetched. The head shaving, the rats, the dungeon, the lesbian tragedy-- it was a bit much for me.
The torture that Natalie Portman undergoes supposedly allows her to live without fear. Is it true that torture can induce fearlessness. I know from experience, after having to go through last semester, that I can handle any assignment in chemical engineering without an extra heartbeat. It's definitely mellowed me out. One knows the worst, and when one survives it, there's nothing left to fear. (Well this lasts for a while at least, until the traumatic memories begin to fade.)
The movie definitely shows what can happen when the government keeps its country in fear. Inferring from the movie, why is it that so many Americans fear a terrorist attack on the United States? Especially in the Mid-west. Yes, it is a real problem. I will not deny that there is someone out there that might have a plot to blow up a building. But he's not necessarily a foreigner. And yet the scope of much of the anti-terrorism campaign is aimed outside of the United States (*coughIraqcough*). Oh my god I'm turning into Michael Moore. Time to stop.
Posted by piep0058 at March 23, 2006 07:20 PM | Nightlife
Comments
I too saw that movie a few nights ago and thought it was quite well done. And afterwards, we had a discussion of its parallels to America today. Good observations.
Posted by: Berne at April 5, 2006 07:37 PM