V For Vendetta & Watchmen Movie Thread (mostly Watchmen now)

[Edame]

I really was expecting to hate this (being a fan of the comic), but I thought it was ok. They pretty much kept the core storyline there and made it more relevant to a modern audience. I think it had it's faults (

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V-Evey love story, pointless IMHO

), but given that it's a Hollywood film it could have been much much worse (*cough* Judge Dredd). They had V's look down pat (no revamped leather bodysuit) and I thought Weaving did a good job making V expressive without ever taking off the mask. I'd be interested to see if they had any extra footage for a director's cut, I think some of the characters could have been explored a bit more (

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The comic did a good job of showing how hellish even the lives of the party members were

).

[Q-Bass]

I thought this film was absolutely marvellous, I really liked it. I'm a huge fan of the comic and to be perfectly honest I was well disappointed after seeing Film 2006 the other night, JR's seething review left me reeling.

I suppose people may think that because I like the graphic novel, I'm gonna automatically jump to the defence of the film but that's not the case, the film is great and for once it's nice to see a comic story turned movie that actually has a proper message behind it.

I admit that V's opening few lines were a bit too much flambouant waffle for some but apart from that it was hugely entertaining. I thought that Natalie Portman was great as Evey and Hugo Weaving was absolutely brilliant as V...to the point where I couldn't imagine another actor doing the role, he was exactly how I always imagined V to sound...a bit like James Earl Jones was Darth Vader despite being another man in the suit.

V looks amazing, awesome mask, great hair...no really, I liked the look of him without the conical hat better. I think some of the sets could have been a bit more stylish but having said that, it's meant to look drab due to the controlling regime of the Norsefire government.

I think this film needs to be seen, ignore reviews, both good and bad, make up your own mind but definately see it, I'll be surprised if it doesn't get you talking about the way this country is and the way it could be if we was ever to lose our freedoms and values.

I'd go as far to say that this could be a future cult classic, most cult films of yesteryear were panned to begin with, time will tell.

[Zanza]

I just saw this, and there isn't much to add that hasn't been said, so I will simply say that I thought this was fantastic, it was true to the original material of which I am also a big fan. I didn't have any high hopes for this, infact quite the opposit, but this is definately worth watching.

[Duddyroar]

Saw this on Friday and I just wanted to add some more positive comments.

I read the graphic novel a few weeks back, then read it again. Fantastic book, a must-read. So I approached this film knowing the plot, and after the negative comments from fans like Wossy I was expecting the worst, TBH.

However I loved the film. They've done the comic justice in my eyes. There are far too many characters in the comic to successfully transfer to the movie and I think the ones they've cut out are hardly missed. The introduction of Stephen Fry's character was a masterstroke

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(although the scene with his talk show was a bit dodgy).

The plot has been chopped and changed here and there, but I think the film still manages to stay true to the 'message' of the book.

As several people have mentioned, Weaving as V is fantastic. He has the role nailed from the opening scene. The opening speech is a bit clunky but it is true to the graphic novel. I've always rated Weaving, even before he hit the Hollywood big time and was starring in Yahoo Serious movies, but he really shocked me here. He doesn't over do the role,

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and one of my favourite scenes is when he's cooking breakfast for Evey.

He plays it perfectly.

I have to admit that V is possibly the coolest leading hero I've seen. He's polite, educated and can kick ass when required. A refreshing change from all the Yankee meatheads that seem to populate these kind of films. V has a past he's not happy about, but he does something productive to avenge it - rather than just looking pissed off all the time like Wolverine in X-Men.

The film is light on action, but you never really notice as the plot is so engaging.

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The final fight scene is totally breathtaking, one of the best I've seen in ages and a nice end to an already impressive movie. Defo one to watch in a cinema.

The only problems I have with the film is Portman's accent - at times she sounds South African, although she still puts in a decent performance.

Recommended.

[anephric]

Went to a late night viewing of this and I can't understand the drubbing it's come in for - it was a genuinely decent stab at getting V onscreen. Obviously, concessions have been made for an American audience, and a mainstream audience in general, but they're forgiveable and completely understandable as to why they were necessary.

The fanboy part of me rankled at the changes, but they were only minor and you can see why the Brothers have made most of them (mostly to contemporise the political milieu, and to give the audience an empathic hook).

Good stuff. Genuinely good stuff. It seems shaky at the beginning, but give it a chance. And, can I echo, Weaving is brilliant. Although, perhaps, they make V a little too likeable.

I got an absolute rush during the Evy torture/rebirth sequence - it was perfectly done (and it's much harder to do something like that live-action as opposed to on the page).

So much better than LXG and From Hell it's absurd. Alan Moore should cut them some slack. It's obviously made with the greatest respect for his work by genuine fans, which is a rarity.

[nonny]

Watched this last night without any prior knowledge to the comic, heck I didnt even realise it was a comic adaptation till I saw the DC logo coming up at the beginning.

Overall myself and the mrs spent the first 5-10mins bemused by the world/environment that the story takes place in, strangely it reminded me of Equilibrium for some reason. That aside once we'd got over the initial shock of V's rather well spoken character I thought the film itself was superb.

[MattyD]

Did you like how everyone in England, even the poor family with empty Stella bottles all over their kitchen, live in big open-plan apartments with flatscreen TVs - even during the midst of a fascist dictatorship?

[anephric]

Surely that was the point, wasn't it? That the Wachowskis had gone for "people living comfortable lives, surrounded by consumer durables, watching lowest common denominator TV about how **** and barbaric and godless the rest of the world is and obviously-a-metaphor-for-USofA-fascism-and-Fox-TV?" rather than the post-nuclear holocaust, barely-scratching-an-existence setting of the graphic novel.

[Mardigan8]

Finally got around to watching this seeing this last night after multiple attempts... and thank god I made it. Rooted to theedge of my seat from start to finish, ainly due to Weavings performance, he was flawless for me and his delivery of quotes at certain points were immense.

What this film done better than most of this type was get a stirring feeling in me when there was no action... like when Stephen Reas character is talking about what he dreamt and V is setting up the Dominoes... when he knocks them down and the music reaches its peak it was, for me, good if not better than some of the action scenes most of these kind of movies throw at you, really dramatic stuff and totally hit the mark for me at these points.

The finale is truly stunning and works so well because the film has not been diluted by lots of action. Its all about symbolism and the way the final few scenes plays out was sueprb for me. For those who have seen it... I nearly fell off my chair when V looked up at them all and says... "My turn"!!

Didnt read the graphic novel or anything but for me this, as a film, totally hit the mark from start to finish, cant say a bad word about it, amazing stuff!!

[Yoshimax]

Caught this on Thursday and loved it to bits.

As someone with no prior knowledge of the novel(s) (Didn't even realise it was a comic till I saw the logo at the start) this was a magic piece of work - I totally expected we'd get to see the mask come off but I guess that's because I've been trained to expect it by movies past.

Only dodgy bit for me was the Stephen Fry TV programme which I felt could have been a bit shorter and got the point across more effectively but overall I was very impressed.

[eastyy]

Well the comic is great

Plan to catch this when it comes out on dvd but all i have heard is good things about this

Now if they can do a good a job on the watchmen film that would be great

[marcus]

Quick post to say I watched this last night and loved it also, very original and V was brilliant. The stunning Natalie Portman was also great in this. Great movie.

[dataDave]

OK film. Gave me an insight as to what would happen if I ran the country myself.

[eastyy]

got the dvd recently i thought it was excellent

The character of V is just so close to the comic book version he did a excellent job

Hope a similar good job is done on the watchmen

[MattyD]

OK film. Gave me an insight as to what would happen if I ran the country myself.

What, have everyone speaking in Mockney and driving around in Rovers?