V for Vendetta (2006)
87%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 29 nominations
Visually stunning and thought-provoking, V For Vendetta’s political pronouncements may rile some, but its story and impressive set pieces will nevertheless entertain
V for Vendetta is like a political thriller on steroids, with a dash of teenage rebellion thrown in for good measure. It’s a wild ride that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about government and society. Natalie Portman shines as the unlikely hero, and the explosive action scenes will have you on the edge of your seat. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Guy Fawkes mask? It’s the perfect accessory for any revolution.
Production Company(ies)
CNN Films, Statement Pictures,
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Aldwych Underground Station, Aldwych, Holborn, London, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence and some language
Year of Release
2006
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 12m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States, United Kingdom, Germany
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 17, 2006 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2006
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Rupert Graves, Stephen Fry, directed by James McTeigue, written by Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Action, R, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Namrata Joshi, Zadie Smith, Victoria Segal, Joe Morgenstern, Rick Groen, Claudia Puig, MPAA rating, produced by Joel Silver, Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Warner Bros., SDDS, DTS, Dolby SRD, Scope (2.35:1), police state, fascist government, vigilante, terrorist tactics, oppression, young woman, secret police, ally, rebellion, totalitarian dictatorship, freedom fighter, Guy Fawkes, anarchist, bombings, left-wing politics, allegorical, satirical, anti-hero, martial arts, media cover-ups, secret police, genocide, torture, destruction, lesbian/gay subplot, Nazi acts, henchmen, masked avenger, operatic
Worldwide gross: $132,511,035
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $195,408,335
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 706
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,309,524
US/Canada gross: $70,511,035
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $103,979,596
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 723
US/Canada opening weekend: $25,642,340
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $37,813,658
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 338
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $54,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $79,631,482
Production budget ranking: 527
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $42,881,553
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $72,895,300
ROI to date (est.): 60%
ROI ranking: 1,104
Hugo Weaving – V
Stephen Rea – Finch
John Hurt – Sutler
Rupert Graves – Dominic
Stephen Fry – Gordon Dietrich
Director(s)
James McTeigue
Writer(s)
Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Producer(s)
Joel Silver, Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 29 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (255) | Top Critics (64) | Fresh (186) | Rotten (69)
A bizarre, farcical, political allegory-cum-thriller.
January 10, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Namrata Joshi
Outlook
TOP CRITIC
In the face of this film something adolescent in me surged to the surface and I mean that as a great compliment: adolescence is a state I hold in high regard.
January 16, 2018
Zadie Smith
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
By leaping into fantasy and heading for its own version of a happy ending with all guns blazing, however, it blows the competition – not to mention the Houses of Parliament – out of the water.
September 26, 2017
Victoria Segal
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Speaking of love, things go blooey instead of gooey whenever heroine and hero come close enough to touch; far from being sensual, let alone erotic, the movie proves to be not much fun at all.
April 14, 2013
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
This is just darkness played bright, a disposable object but hardly objectionable.
April 14, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
The dark and stylized V for Vendetta is visually exhilarating, provocative and disturbing.
April 14, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Claudia Puig
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
Natalie Portman’s best film
April 6, 2021
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
Ordinary people are portrayed as zombies, glued to their television sets, who need to be galvanized by bombings.
February 14, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
The explosive adventure, the riveting visuals, Portman’s powerful performance, and the striking finale combine for a thoroughly entertaining masterwork.
November 21, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Its import rests in the muddy waters it navigates and the difficult questions it ponders.
November 6, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Portman was an excellent choice to portray the vulnerable Evey who possesses an inner strength she never knew existed before she met V.
November 2, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
Release date frustration aside, V for Vendetta remains just as thought-provoking as ever and stands out as a highlight to the Wachowski’s ability to write scenes that delight, thrill, and frighten almost all at once.
November 1, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness…
Plot
In the distant future, Evey Hammond is an average citizen of the United Kingdom, which is under the rule of the fascist and tyrannical Norsefire Party. She is an employee of the state-run British Television Network, but soon, she becomes the number one enemy of the state together with an enigmatic and larger-than-life freedom fighter known only by the letter “V”. V informs Evey that she must hide in his underground lair for at least one year, and while she is reluctant to the idea at first, a bond soon forms between the two individuals. In the meanwhile, the mysterious past of V is gradually revealed to the police inspector tasked with capturing him, Eric Finch, and it is not long until he starts questioning everything his government stands for.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Hugo Weaving’s performance as V is described as “smooth charismatic tones” that give the character an “endearing Errol Flynn like persona.”
James-McTeigue.jpg
