ROTTEN TOMATOES: Critical Consensus: "Vendetta" Hits, "Man" Misses

Critical Consensus: "Vendetta" Hits, "Man" Misses

by Jen Yamato | March 16, 2006

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This week's wide releases highlight a rarely-tread path in modern cinema, as both pics feature two of America's sweethearts -- every geek's fave, Natalie Portman, and cute little Amanda Bynes -- enduring two very different boyish makeovers, with two very different results. Will "Vendetta" live up to the hype? Can a girly "Man" make teens swoon for Shakespeare? The scribes will tell us!

Ah, the hype. "V for Vendetta," arguably the year's first event movie, has been generating the loudest buzz for months -- and critics say it's justified. Produced by the Wachowski brothers (masters of the Matrices), and starring Natalie Portman and a fully masked Hugo Weaving, "Vendetta" tells the story of a near-future dystopia, where a lone freedom fighter named V (Weaving) plots a series of revolutionary bombings to bring down a shady, secretly policed government. Along the way, V recruits young, frightened Evey (Portman), shaves her head, and turns her into a proper young revolutionary. The scribes say this political thriller is high on politics as well as thrills, with a few stunning set pieces augmenting an austere, yet stylish, mise-en-scene; however, the incendiary tone of its politics -- which have been labeled terrorist-like by some -- is more than a bit difficult for some to stomach in this post-9/11 day and age. Nevertheless, "V for Vendetta" is enjoying Fresh status with a 68% score on the Tomatometer, and the critical mass urges at least one thought-provoking viewing.

Faring worse at the hands of the critics, "She's The Man" is a teen-oriented take on Shakespeare's gender-bender "Twelfth Night," from two of the writers of a better Bard treatment, "10 Things I Hate About You." TV teen queen Amanda Bynes stars as Viola, a prep school tomboy who decides to impersonate her twin brother Sebastian in order to play on his soccer team. Donning a short wig and boy's clothing, Viola infiltrates Illyria Prep, but soon falls for her dreamy roommate, who's crushing on a pretty blonde, who has the hots for the undercover Viola; hilarity and sexual confusion ensue. Unfortunately, the scribes say this comedy of errors is just that, with an erratic comic timing, unbelievable plotlines, and too-broad jokes that make you feel embarrassed for Bynes -- the actress, not her character. At 50% on the Tomatometer, "She's" not quite "The Man."

Recent Big-Screen Graphic Novel Adaptations
-----------------------------------------------------------
38% -- Art School Confidential (2006)
87% -- A History of Violence (2005)
78% -- Sin City (2005)
18% -- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
95% -- American Splendor (2003)
83% -- Road to Perdition (2002)
92% -- Ghost World (2001)
56% -- From Hell (2001)

Related Items

Movie:	Art School Confidential
	V For Vendetta
	A History of Violence
	Sin City
	American Splendor
	The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
	Road to Perdition
	From Hell
	Ghost World
	10 Things I Hate About You
Celeb:	Amanda Bynes
	Larry Wachowski
	Andy Wachowski
	Natalie Portman
	Hugo Weaving

(1-20 of 25 posts) | Reply

knowingtoast85 writes:
on Mar 17 2006 01:17 AM

It was too long, and the script was pure Wachowski, for better and worse, but the leads were excellent and the production was solid. A couple of pubescent boys behind me mock-snored late into the film, probably out of frustration with the lack of action sequences, which is a shame. I think they'd have really enjoyed the movie, as ham-fisted as it often was, if they didn't go in expecting whatever gun-toting superaction barrage that they were expecting.

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mstiefan writes:
on Mar 17 2006 09:38 AM

[b]Just one of the Guys[/b]
I'm very surprised not to see more references to the movie Just one of the Guys (or as one of the cream of the crop reviewers calls it, Just one of the Boys). I mean he's a top critic and can't get a movie title correct.

THe Twelth Night parallels are obvious, but this movie was already made. Haha, she likes the guy when she's a guy. She can't be on the skins team in soccer (basketball in JOOTG). At least Guys gives us the great payoff of sitting through this agonizing movie plot by showing off some excellent breasts.

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lovelykeira writes:
on Mar 17 2006 10:38 AM

I going to V tonight.

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Jen Yamato writes:
on Mar 17 2006 10:52 AM

In reply to this comment (#832381)
Let's not forget another great cross-dressing teen soccer film, Ladybugs. RIP, Jonathan Brandis.

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synergyred writes:
on Mar 17 2006 06:07 PM

Just got back from seeing V and let me tell you, it's everything that it was hyped up to be.

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AgentIndigo writes:
on Mar 17 2006 07:07 PM

Yes, I just got back from seeing it too, and it rocks. I found V better than Batman Begins.

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I Am Remote writes:
on Mar 17 2006 09:59 PM

I liked it a lot too. Really excellent stuff.

Not better than Batman Begins though...

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SIRxxxTMG writes:
on Mar 18 2006 01:29 AM

V for Vendetta kicked ass on so many levels.

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Hanniballistic writes:
on Mar 18 2006 08:47 AM

"-- which have been labeled terrorist-like by some --"

This statement makes me sad. Like the reviewers didn't really get the message of the film.

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hoffmand writes:
on Mar 18 2006 08:54 AM

I agree with Hanniballistic. So many reviewers simply did not get it.

I've written a smack-down of those numbskulls at my blog

http://ballsandwalnuts.com

Doug

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Elixir writes:
on Mar 18 2006 10:16 AM

i think its time to say the wachowskis have earned the right to be called brilliant film makers and script writers.

yes, i do believe thy have earned it.

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lovelykeira writes:
on Mar 18 2006 10:48 AM

I was dissapointed actually, seems like I'm the only one here though that thinks that way. I gave it a C.

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starvin writes:
on Mar 18 2006 12:22 PM

A lot of it was painfully predictable and cliched. But the overall direction/writing/production more than made up for it. The last 45 minutes of it was a total rush too. And Natalie Portman was a bonerific as ever. 9/10

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necron91 writes:
on Mar 18 2006 03:39 PM

there wasn't any mindless violence in the film, that's what's too expectant of most of u guys here, the story outways the action, though i did think the film was a little too long, but it was more inportant to tell the story from V, not through his fighting style - which i think is pretty cool too, especially during the underground "knife time" sequence......

i thought the film was superb for taking a different approach for such a theme rather than kicking, punching and shooting their way through it. a good example of hollywood shouldn't be afraid of it's audience, but of it's film-makers.....

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nazgul writes:
on Mar 18 2006 10:05 PM

i just watched this as well. I have to agree with most people here, this movie rocked! Some ver nice moments in there that I really enjoyed. I just migh go see it again tomorrow.

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sostra writes:
on Mar 19 2006 08:33 AM

[b]V is awesome[/b]
V is a great film! A little long but it keeps you entertained. I though Hugo Weaving did a great job as potraying V as a likable,fun guy. He was such as bad-ass with his knives..I just wish there was a few more butt-kickin sceans!

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TheIceGhost writes:
on Mar 19 2006 10:35 AM

[b]V for Victory[/b]
Saw it Friday night, and I thought it was amazing. The last third did become predictable but enjoyable nontheless. I'll say it now, in 5 years it will be a cult classic, and this Halloween I bet there is going to be a lot of kids runnin' around in V masks, which for once wont annoy me at all.

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SydeX writes:
on Mar 19 2006 11:52 AM

[b]Terrorism? or Revolution?[/b]
Having read the Graphic Novel of V for Vendetta (i havent seen the movie yet) and reading people's comments about it, I think a lot of people judge the intentions of the story too quickly. Remember that this book was written almost 16 years ago (1989) and the world back then was really different from today's hijackers and mass suicide bombers. A really interesting thing for me is that the idea behind the movie is quite interesting because if you relate it in some point to current world events, it makes a lot of sense and a lot of thinking. The goverment sees V as a terrorist and a threat, but the people see V as a hero and a way of freedom of speech, thinking and culture. Now, think about this in modern day events, even if terrorism is a bad way of conducting an ideal (because of the mass death rates) couldnt terrorism be also a way of revolution to a current day corporate controlled system? who says our goverments aren't wrong, and we are blindedly following their ideas because we only see their vision and they tell us their right, and no one else. What if terrorism is another way to see, the truth?

I like to keep an open mind to these sort of topics because Im an artist and I like to think a lot about this, but I read an interesting paragraph about "V and Terrorism" and one of the most interesting parts of the read was this: "what would you think, if you took away V's mask, and Osama Bin Laden was behind it?".

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synergyred writes:
on Mar 19 2006 01:17 PM

In reply to this comment (#832397)
Well one thing I think is good to keep in mind as far as V's terrorism is that V didn't target civillians but people of the goverment. When he attacked a building (Parliment, the TV station) he was more concerned with getting rid of the building, instead of the people inside. Think about it. He always gave the people insdie of the building plenty of time to get out. I do not know if the graphic novels are the same. I've never read them, but it makes V a little more sympathetic.

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CrazyGhost78 writes:
on Mar 19 2006 04:49 PM

[b]V for kick ass[/b]
I just got back from it. We were late because the ****ing paper printed the wrong time, so we missed 5/10 minutes, but thats just an excuse to see it again. I loved every second of it. The CG blood at the end made me weep for moviemaking, but aside from that, it was downright awesome.

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