Kathmandu:

Written by Matrix producers Andy and Larry Wachowski and all but directed by them, V For Vendetta examines why terrorism happens, the nature of oppressive governments and what ignites revolt. Relevant both in the world and in Nepal, the movie was shown in Jai Nepal and is action filled and thought provoking.

As critic Glenn Kenny says, “V for Vendetta, a compelling, rousing and at times strangely moving entertainment, details the System as a corrosive, corrupt, destructive — with hateful and oppressive thrown into the mix — lie, and then says that said System should be changed via the assassination of its leaders and the explosive toppling of its most cherished symbols. A masked revolutionary (Hugo Weaving) — and it’s a hell of a mask, caricaturing 17th-century Brit insurrectionist Guy Fawkes — rescues damsel-in-distress media cog Evey (Natalie Portman), whose transformation from wide-eyed waif into Joan of Arc-like impassioned avenger is an inspired, inspiring performance. In the evening he puts into motion a scheme to overthrow the current government. Evey is thus drawn into his web, and into the sights of government investigators — led by a dogged detective (Stephen Rea) who’s having doubts about his superiors. The ensuing machinations and double crosses leading to the entirely satisfying denouement are more than diverting, but they never get so carried away that they detract from the critiques of social injustice that give them their reason for being. V for Vendetta’s strength beyond its substantial movie-movie value is not in how it pitches its ideas, but to whom — a pop audience, an audience the powers that be consider too thoroughly distracted to challenge... the powers that be. A good thing to keep in mind as the controversy about this picture whips up.”

Tom Brooks of BBC announced, “The story is inspired by a British graphic novel, which started off as a series in the early 1980’s. Illustrated by David Lloyd and written by Alan Moore, it was a fiction rooted in the creators’ fears that Margaret Thatcher’s Britain would become a fascist state.”

Hugo Weaving who plays V says, “He’s an animal, he’s been wounded very much by specific characters who are now head of the government; he’s been tortured and mentally and physically abused by these people and as a result he desires revenge. But he also has very strong beliefs about the nature of government and the nature of individual freedom and that people within a society need to take responsibility for themselves and do something about their government if that government is oppressing them. So he is a liberating force as well.”

And Portman adds,”I don’t think that this movie is specifically targeting. It’s easy to come away from this film thinking it’s an allegory implying that the Bush administration is actually using the spectre of terrorism to control the populace. It might seem obvious to some people depending on their political backgrounds when they come to it, what this movie is about, but I had a South Korean reporter say, ‘This is about North Korea, is this movie going to be shown in North Korea?’ I know someone who has a picture of President Bush on his wall who loves this movie and thought it was all about Hitler’s Germany and taking down fascism. Because it takes place in an imaginary time and place it can be interpreted in many ways and because of that I think you see that there’s a theme in all governments that there are similar.”