Film Review: V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta is a story set in a futuristic dystopian England where the totalitarian government rules over its people with fear and an anonymous anarchist named “V” aims to disrupt the government. The story was originally created in graphic novel format by author Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd between 1982 and 1985. Twenty years later, action director James McTeigue directed a movie adaptation of V for Vendetta. While both versions of V for Vendetta contain similar plot elements and characters, there are a few significant differences between the two, which separate the versions into two distinct, separate entities. The political themes, characters, and some plot elements are differing between the two versions. After comparing the two side-by-side, it becomes clear that the original graphic novel is far superior to its movie adaptation. In the film, Evey Hammond is on her way to her Boss’s house for dinner instead of soliciting men for sex like in the novel. In both versions of V for Vendetta, she represents the “everyman” but in the film she starts off as a strong, confident woman instead of an insecure teenage prostitute. The relationship between V and Evey in the original graphic novel is depicted as strictly platonic, whereas their relationship in the novel ends in romance. Instead of being the morally gray anarchistic terrorist like he is in the novel, V is shown more as a romantic freedom fighter who rights the wrongs of the government. In the film, the government and its workers are seen as completely evil and without human characteristics, and the protagonists are depicted as completely right and just in their destruction. V’s kidnap and subsequent torture of Evey is unquestioned in the film and she falls head over heels for her captor after he opens her eyes to his world. The most glaring difference between the novel and the film is the political ideas the two versions put forth. The original graphic novel was inspired by the fascist qualities that

Cited: *Johnston, Rich. “Lying in the Gutters*.” *Comic Book Resources.* 23 *May,* 2005.