Shoup Airlines

Inside the Vendetta

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my first weekend off post than with a movie review! And a two-fer at that! I suppose one could do a pub review but we’re not allowed to drink…um, yeah. Strangely enough, both movies focus around Nazi actions dating back to WWII. Coincidence? Maybe not… Anyway, I took 4 guys with me and taught them the ways of movie hopping.

First off, I’d like to thank Judd for the quick movie rundown. His “Movie Guy” voice was a bit lacking, but he still provided the info needed for someone who’s been living under a rock for nearly four months! If you’re looking for a quick synopsis on a Friday night, call him at 714-555-5043.

At the plate and looking to swing away is Inside Man with Denzel Washington and Clive Owens. I’ll be honest, Judd said Denzel and I was ready to move on, his movies keep getting more cookie cutterish it seems. Then he drops Owens’ name and that piqued my interest. So this guy (Owens), who seems to change accents at the drop of a hat, has planned what seems to be the perfect bank heist. You get to find out whether he pulls it off or Denzel and his inept crew of NYPD cops head Owens off at the pass.

Spike Lee unravels the story in a type of piece meal fashion that is difficult to follow at times but still leaves a catchable drift. And what would a Spike Lee joint be without the race card thrown in for good measure? Owens’ character is excellently written and portrayed as a dark, perfectly calculating and patient thief on par with Robert De Niro’s character in Heat. The ending seems to lack that final oomph though to push the movie into the great category, but it’s still a good cat and mouse flic.

On deck is V for Vendetta with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving. Based on a comic book (graphic novel for those still in denial), this story is set in a present day Britain where the Nazis won WWII and encapsulated England in a 1984-ish society with everyone looking over their shoulder, most religions and interests oppressed and the government controlling the media.

Enter Hugo Weaving as the dashing, cape wearing, acrobatic flying, do-gooder that plays a Guy Fawkes type hero to the nines including a Fawkes mask that he NEVER takes off. Natalie Portman stumbles in as the unwilling sidekick with a past she doesn’t want to embrace but must to survive. Together, these two attempt to bring down a dictatorship headed by John Hurt in good ol’ televised revolution style.

Interesting ‘what if’ story once you get past a bit of Bush bashing that had absolutely nothing to do with the film. I almost thought I was watching a Michael Moore film for a second, but remembered this was a Wachowski Bros. production (The Matrix Saga) so you can understand some of the incorporated strangeness.

Nevertheless, a decent story that felt like it left out some important back stories or could have delved more deeply into the characters that surrounded the story. I’m sure the comic..er…graphic novel does just that, it’s just a shame the film couldn’t. Lot of potential left untouched there, plus it leaves the movie a bit patchy. As a result, I only recommend this one to sci-fi or alternate history fans as others will be left wondering ‘why’ the whole time, very much like the second and third installments of the Matrix Trilogy.