"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." -- V for VendettaIf you are confused with what is going on in the world today and you are scared but unsure of what might happen if vicious, power-hungry people continue ruling the world, go see V for Vendetta. Now showing in theaters nationwide!
A movie like a good smoke, satisfying sex, perfect drink, sound sleep, and what-have-you. Clear shot of raindrops falling on Natalie Portman’s (Evey) bald head (observed by my filmmaker friend), smooth swooshing swords in V’s last fight scene, seamless marriage of film and theater, etc., but, most of all, story-telling with depth, imagination and premonition.
Yes, the movie might be too revolutionary for the taste of tight-assed people in power. But like it or not, V simply hooks every viewer. It presents a world we always feared, a societal developmental disorder in danger of going nowhere but ground zero... if we do not do something about it.
The Wachowski brothers, the movie's screenwriters ( also behind the Matrix movies) have mastered story-telling with artistry, intellect and vision. What I like most is how they utilized the theories from college that most of us have forgotten.
Some cool use of theories from the movie...
Conspiracy theory to expose government conspiracies to wreak havoc in the lives of their citizens and lure people into believing that they need a stronger, authoritarian government that can protect them (sounds familiar?).
Reinforcement and cultivation theories for media's part in making people believe government lies. But also inoculation theory for the television viewers who have become resistant to lies. If any media person does not follow, he/she will end up dead like the television host who made fun of and showed the ironies and truth about the state head.
Symbolic interaction theory for V's convincing argument with Evey why he had to blow up the church tower. A building blown up is more than just a building blown up. It literally blows up socially constructed ideas, but presented as truths, that the building symbolizes.
Chaos theory for the rationale of V's vengeance that will lead to the end the vicious cycle of government abuse of power and supression of people's thinking. Conflict and disorder brings new and better order, again, if we do something about it.
Systems theory for explaining how a corrupt government's control of societal institutions such as the church and businesses leads to a systemic cancer; how there are no coincidences, that bits of pieces of this and that make up the whole, or the hole.
Feminist theory for the male-created repressive government. Yes, some women conspired to create such a government but the boardroom scenes (key officials talking to state head on the big screen) were all males. The screenwriters even included a subplot where homosexuals were persecuted but stood strong. Also, Evey had the final decision to push down the lever of that train that leads to bringing down parliament to clean up the mess of the past.
And I must insist, people power theory or EDSA theory (sino'ng aangal diyan ha?). Only this time, the terrorist prepared the way for people to gather on the streets and watch the symbol-of-power building collapse. With the EDSA 1, 2 and, some say, 3, in our country, will we have to wait until something similar happens?
Lots of theories more, what can you add?
No, no. I am not saying blowing up buildings cure society's diseases. I am just saying or going with the idea that blowing up, shaking up, or questioning those concepts and realities we just accept without questioning their validity might eventually lead us to a better understanding of our world and how we change it.
In a chaotic world, indeed, theories, most often, are keys to understanding. It is just up to us what we do with that understanding. We die because of it? We live it?
In any case, we eventually die and the theories live on. VaVaVa-Voom!
Peace ya all.
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