Growing up, superhero movies never really appealed to me. I always thought they were simple, formulaic stories that tried to the immortal – and very outdated – narrative of all stories based on the never-ending battle between good and evil or something like that. Maybe it was just me, my limited understanding of the vast universe of comic book superheroes, and the overconfidence of a weak little mind that thought it knew everything. I don’t think I can be blamed, though. As a child, I was bombarded with images of Superman, his squeaky clean reputation and his constant determination to do the right thing no matter what the cost. And I was far too young to understand the moral complexities that permeated Batman, and the immaturity inherent in youth was too stubborn to accept his actions that went beyond good and evil. Therefore, I was generally indifferent to superheroes in movies. It was not until I had the pleasure of V for Vendetta on the screen that my attitude has changed. Through this film I have a newfound appreciation for these larger-than-life figures and pushed me to respect the myth they brought with them.

V for Vendetta

Release date

February 23, 2006

Duration

132

studio

Warner Bros.

slogan

FREEDOM! FOREVER!

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The traditional image of the “superhero” was a tired and tedious trick

I think the traditional idea of ​​the superhero is an image that permanently anchored in our psyche. There’s a certain magic in the air when you first see these morally dichotomous, action-oriented, escapist adventures that end with the hero rescuing the damsel in distress and saving the world. It’s invigorating and inspiring because it teaches us that we can make a difference and should always be on the side of good or what is considered “right.” Seeing it repeatedly on screen is a different story, perhaps even insulting to viewers. Does this mean that superheroes have an extremely simplistic view of the world? Is it just light versus darkness and must we always cheer for the handsome guy wearing his underwear over his suit? Is it a bird? Is it an airplane? No, It’s this old, hackneyed farce that drives me and, I suspect, many other people crazy.

Take Superman, for example, the immortal face of moral superiority who embodied what it meant to be good. Parents loved to show their children the son of Jor-El because he was the shining example of what they wanted their children to be (apart from the fact that he wasn’t even human). It didn’t matter if it was the old Christopher Reeve Movies, Superman returns with Brandon Routhor the modern version of the Man of Steel with Henry Cavill. It was inevitable that you would watch a Superman movie and your parents or guardians would constantly lecture you about how you should impersonate the guy while raving about his stunning looks.

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In retrospect, it would be difficult to contradict their intentions. Why not role model your children someone who embodied the philosophy of always doing the right thing? He was certainly a figure worthy of admiration, but like that transition sequence in a coming-of-age film where the characters slowly realize there’s more to this world than what’s in their little bubbles, the concept of right and wrong changes drastically when you grow up. Suddenly, and inevitably, the old superhero movies you’d seen in the theater with your dad no longer seemed to make sense. or at least have become banal reproductions of “reality”. For a while, I didn’t care when a new superhero movie came out. I developed a certain disdain for these films and even loathed those who loved them. Why waste your time on these run-of-the-mill movies? I certainly wasn’t going to do that. And then, through a mysterious man dressed in black, his face hidden under a Guy Fawkes mask, I realized, there was still something to look forward to.

“V for Vendetta” was not necessarily a superhero, but an idea of ​​what they can be

Let us make one thing clear: V is by no means a superhero. A verbose anarchist who swims against the tide and commits heinous acts in the name of his own idea of ​​justice, he is the antithesis of the typical saviour that people cry out for. And yet there I was, completely absorbed in every word of prose that came out of his mouth, crying out for more destruction in the wake of his chaotic undertakings. Gone were the age-old cliches that had bored me, replaced by an entirely new vision of justice, whether or not you could call him a superhero. I screamed with gusto when he rescued Evey from the clutches of the evil Fingermen, raised my fist in the air when he blew up the Old Bailey, was in awe when he appeared on television screens, and shed tears when he inevitably died of his wounds at the end. Here was someone who was not afraid of bloodshed, who blew up a building to make a point, and who did not hesitate to take extreme measures to achieve his goal. and I enjoyed every minute of it. When it was finally revealed that V was the one who had hatched the plan to kidnap his own wife in distress in order to embody his evil ideology, it was the final nail in the coffin for the ghosts of superhero movies past.

The overwhelming climax, when V survives a hail of bullets and kills Mr. Creedy and his henchmen, was the highlight of this film and was responsible for flipping a switch in me – I was confronted with a reality that hit me like a punch. Similar to the idea that this film conveys, I began to understand that superheroes are ideas – symbols that might fit your worldview. At the same time, I realized that I was selfish. My affinity with the figure of V was based on my own dirty experiences – Experiences that I cannot force on other people. I may prefer this type of (anti)hero, but that doesn’t mean others should have the same attitude. Why should I deprive other people of the chance to be captivated by the great light that was Superman? Why should I loathe those who look for some hope in superhero movies when that may be all they have? People watch superhero movies not only because they want to be entertained, but also because for some it is the only chance to experience catharsis for the problems they have to endure every day. Much like my vivid feelings and memories the first time I saw a dagger-wielding madman slicing through the flesh of a gang of villains corrupted by power and control, no one should be able to take that away from them.

V for Vendetta has a special place in my heart because it not only showed me another, albeit blurry, side of the moral coin, but also gave me a revelation about the diverse perspectives, viewpoints and philosophies that people have. And for some these ideas are simply foolproof.

V for Vendetta is available to rent on Prime Video.

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