Written by Wachowski brothers and inspired by comic book series of Alan Moore, “V for Vendetta” is a movie full of ideas.
It talks of issues that are timeless and hold great contemporary significance. The film shows a not-too distant future where a totalitarian regime has come in Britain, which has taken away all rights of the people. The citizens live in constant fear of the nazi-like
government. Enter V, a masked crusader who wants to rouse the masses from their submissive stupor and destroy the symbol of absolutism—the houses of
parliament. There are two dimensions of the film, which make it exceptionally provocative in terms of ideas and ideologies. Firstly, political manipulation to create ‘truths’, which is a potent contemporary problem. Sutler’s party created chaos, spread a virus and then rumours about fundamentalists declaring a bio war, instilled so much fear in the hearts of people that they readily gave up freedom for safety. The film critiques the political manufacturing of ‘truths’. Secondly, the film quite extensively explores the dynamics of a revolution. It delves into the thinking and the pattern behind a revolution. The film opens with the execution of Guy Fawkes, the man who tried to blow up the parliament of England in 17th century. England, at that time had turned protestant, and the government had suppressed the Catholics with a heavy hand. Guy Fawkes wanted this dictatorial government to end, so decided to do away with the parliament itself, but failed and was executed. In the film V wants to imitate Guy Fawkes and even wears his mask. He raises his voice against the totalitarian regime and wants to bring in a revolution to do away with it. Some critics of the film might argue that V is just as hard-hearted as the enemy. After all his idol, Guy Fawkes did not want to liberate the masses, but install a catholic king at the throne to stop their persecution and perhaps, also revert back to Catholicism as the state religion. So his plan was not to liberate the people from the dictatorial evils, but simply replace it. The detective in the film, Finch, in a scene traces pattern of V’s modus operandi. He says that V has planned all this with utmost precision. According to Finch, he will generate chaos, which will be the outcome of his confrontation with Sutler’s government. In that chaos, he will blow up the parliament, a symbolic destruction of Sutler’s fascism and through it will offer hope to the people and then they will have blind faith in him. Finch says that it’s a pattern and he has a “feeling” that this is what will happen. He is right in believing that it’s a pattern because its uncannily similar to what Sutler did. He created chaos by the virus outbreak, offered hope through the anti-dotes and won people’s faith. Once he came to power, he showed his true colours. It seems that the film is saying that this is what happens in a so-called revolution. Fear, chaos and anarchy are manipulated by individuals to gain the goodwill of the masses. There is no guarantee that V would not become a Sutler-like figure because, as the film believes, absolute power corrupts absolutely. However, there is one thing that does not let this pattern succeed. In the end, V gives the choice to Evie and the citizens who will benefit by toppling the government; they must choose to do or not to do it. He kills Sutler for his personal vengeance, but the symbolic destruction is left to Evey and the citizens. Finch changes his opinion in the end, as he realizes the lies on which Sutler came to power. The film shows people expressing their choice as they march down in the face of possible death, to witness the blowing up of the repressive government. Sutler did not offer any choices. He created only an illusion of it. People voted for him because he could give them safety from the virus. So, the critics who argue that V is like his enemy are not right. Fawkes was also not offering any choices, but V is.This is what makes V a hero and not a terrorist. A terrorist wants to arm-twist people into following his ideals, but V learns not to do it. Some might argue that even though he does not push the lever to destroy the parliament, yet it is not a choice, but an illusion of choice, because weary as people are of Sutler’s regime, they choose the first path that offers them some relief. However, that is not the case. Unlike Sutler’s protection from the virus, V’s alternative is not against something that he himself has created. V is not responsible for this nazi-like government, so his offer of a choice is a genuine one. People can choose to remain fearful and submissive all their lives or they can choose to take control of their destiny, their country’s destiny and the world’s destiny.