Remember the 5th of November

Remember remember the fifth of November, gunpowder plot and treason. Every year on the 5th November, we remember the name, Guy Fawkes, the disgruntled man at the centre of a conspiracy to blow up the then King of England, James I.

In his honour, we take the tiny explosives and send them into the sky to create an entertaining display.

Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament whilst the King was in session. It failed. We know this, yet his legend has spanned generations, creating countless television shows and films in its wake. One such film that always resonates with me is V for Vendetta. The dystopian political superhero action movie is set in or around the year 2020, a global pandemic and a civil war, which many have drawn parallels to.

The film stars Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Fry and John Hurt. A five-star cast for a five-star film that packs a punch every time I see it. Sending explosions around my head and driving me on to watch each and every year on the 5th of November.

It is the film that keeps on giving and one of my all-time favourites.

V for Vendetta

On the heels of 9/11, the filmmakers of V for Vendetta deliver a masterpiece of conspiracy, entertainment and plot telling. Built on the back of a fantastic cast, it exploded its way onto the big screen and in my case, has never left. It is here, each and every year to remind us all that corruption can begin with the smallest decision which can then cascade across the audience and draw you in.

The premise is simple. A former experiment returns to seek revenge on those that have wronged him in the most spectacular of ways. His desire for revenge appears to be primarily self-involved until you discover the intricacies of the plot. He involves Evey Hammond in his plan after rescuing her from the secret police, torturing her and moulding her into someone completely different.

V for Vendetta is a film about grey. The various shades of the colour that inhabit this world with every character displaying lapses in moral judgement in order to get the job done. It is a journey to the centre of our souls and covered in explosions. It is a film that whisks you along the journey, with the ending proving to be the perfect finale.

The Perfect Ending

Many films and television series end in unflattering fashions. They build themselves up to near-mythic levels only to offer a mild tickle to the senses as the credits roll in. This is not the case with V for Vendetta. As the credits roll in you feel complete. You feel as though your investment in time (132 minutes) was worth it, rather than wondering what you are doing with your life.

Without wishing to spoil the ending as there will be those who have not seen the film before, the ending is explosive and offers the perfect bang for your buck. Complete with fireworks and emotions it is one fuse that you will not hesitate to light. It tops a very small list of endings that I would be happy to recommend.

A Conspiracy Uncovered?

One of the primary reasons why V for Vendetta endures is the consideration that it ties into our inbuilt paranoia. Deep down we all believe that the governments of the world are plotting against those that they are sworn to protect. We are convinced that they would sell their own Grandmother's to get ahead and whilst this may be true, I highly doubt that they would create a pandemic in order to sell the cure.

Conspiracies such as Area 51 keep us talking. In a world of ordinary, they provide an extraordinary draw to create conversations, internet memes and connections between disparate individuals across the world. The one that is created within the world of V for Vendetta is horrible. To consider a government that creates a plague in order to infect the population, only to ride in at a later date to provide a cure at the cost of control.

The government holds an iron leash over the populous with people who deviate from the rules being taken away for questioning by the secret police.

It is the perfect mix of Hitler's Nazi Germany, 2020 and a little bit of imagination that tied into our fears of the government.

V for Vendetta worked well as much like Black Mirror, it provides a version of the world that whilst fictional, we can believe.

A Final Thought

Each and every year we head out of the door to celebrate the life, plot and subsequent death of Guy Fawkes. The man who attempted to change the direction of an empire and topple the King of England. V for Vendetta is not a retelling of his story but does have parallels with Hugo Weaving's, central character, V and his desire to blow up the Houses of Parliament and overthrow the corrupt Prime Minister.

Parallels with 2020 have been made. This is due to the referenced pandemic and the government in V for Vendetta delivering a pandemic onto the streets. Later curing the population and convincing people that they should live in a police state. Parallels are clear and simple, with people taking to Twitter in order to vent their opinions that our government has done the same. It is catnip for conspiracy theorists and every bit as entertaining.

Whilst I have no doubt that the UK government is corrupt, I highly doubt that they are responsible for releasing a pandemic onto the streets. We are living in a police state with every movement being watched, yet it is nowhere near as controlling as that which is presented in V for Vendetta.

The highly entertaining piece of fiction is a classic and one of my favourite films due to the messaging, story and cast. One to watch, again and again, each and every year, as it never gets old.