The Wachowski Brothers get 4 hacks. The first part of V for Vendetta is an unholy mess. They somehow took a very straightforward graphic novel screwed it up. I don’t know why these things surprise me anymore.
Note to filmmakers who adapt graphic novels: the whole thing is basically STORYBOARDED FOR YOU. You don’t need to change anything. You don’t even need to think. It’s a cut and paste job. See “Sin City” for reference.
With someone like Alan Moore, the story and characters are already beloved. They have a built-in box office. They have every fanboy’s wet dream, Natalie Portman attached. They have the badass Hugo Weaving who all of their pre-existing fans love. They didn’t have to DO anything to the story OR the images.
But they did. They made an exciting and thought-provoking story into a flashy chaotic mess. They took a futuristic cautionary tale, a “what might become” situation, and tried to make it into a “what IS” story. Of course, I’m against the Bush regime as much as the next CapHillian, but this was neither the proper forum, nor proper manner for such things. If you have something to say about the modern political climate, Wachowskis, write your own damned script. And leave the fabricated and unnecessary love story out of it.
And you know what? None of this would bother me so much if it weren’t for the fact that, in the middle, they managed to capture some of the original story beautifully. The depiction of V’s back story, the letters that Evey finds in the prison and the bit with the lady doctor were very faithful and very moving. So I KNOW they COULD have done a good job if they’d wanted to. And that is why they don’t get the full 5 hacks that they probably deserve.
But clearly, they didn’t have enough respect for the fans or the source material. They just wanted to blow shit up. I hope they’re happy in the life they’ve chosen.
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