By Ash Crites, Guest Columnist
On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, Dr. Vaughan’s Epic Dystopian Worlds class hosted a free showing of James McTeigue’s 2005 film V for Vendetta at Alva’s beloved local theatre, the Rialto.
By now, y’all have come to know me to discuss pure horror in these articles, but there are terrifying things to discuss in thrillers and action movies too.
Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s graphic novel, “V for Vendetta,” was published in 1982. The novel’s most vivacious character, and the plot, inspired James McTeigue, Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski to adapt the story into a film.
The movie cut out scenes from the book and presented V (the infamous/famous anti-hero) differently; however, it maintains one idea: fear.
McTeigue morphs Moore’s rebellious, yet correct, lunatic into a charming anti-hero, giving the audience a dashing British gentleman to root for.
V’s goal in the film is to end his people’s suffering. He believes that the ruling fascist government has pacified Britain’s people, and that meticulous planning is the only avenue to freeing them.
Audiences see this on an individual level through his interactions with Evey, a production assistant for the British Television Network, but also on a national scale through explosive vigilantism.
V lives in a world where his government is torturing, surveilling and experimenting on its people. This is not pure Alan Moore fiction. That’s right folks, V for Vendetta is scary for a reason.
Tell me if this sounds familliar: government sanctioned torture, isolation camps for marginalized groups, cops abusing their power, surveilance at every turn, and the rich getting richer while the poor man fights to survive.
It should, if you’ve seen the movie (or the news). Cinema is literature, and literature responds to the real world.
This dystopian cinema responds to early 1980s British politics by revealing its government’s fascistic agendas. McTeigue adapted
Moore’s V for Vendetta with a more charming V depiction to respond to fears of a rising fascist government with the biggest tool at a people’s disposal: hope.
Vendetta fun facts
- James Purefoy was originally cast as V, but a month into filming was fired over not having a “dynamic enough presence.”
- Based on the 1989 graphic novel by Alan Moore, the Watchmen author refused to see the movie, be credited or take any profits from the film adaptation.
Moore’s writing was based on Margaret Thatcher’s government. - V for Vendetta was James McTeigue’s directorial debut, having first been assistant director on the Matrix trilogy and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.