Brings up interesting questions, though I wish it had spent more time looking at the politics and people's willingness to surrender freedom out of fear. Lot's of violence. But a very enjoyable movie.
V for Vendetta
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Complex but heavy-handed action film. Adults only.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 16–17
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of V for Vendetta was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Parents need to know that this film includes recurring and explicit violence, including explosions, martial arts fights, knifings (with bloody results quite visible), shootings, and torture inside prison cells (where one character shares her space with a rat). The film opens with a flashback to a 1605 hanging, and then, in the present, an imminent rape (stopped by V's violent intervention). The film includes scenes of war and police state tactics, including the brutal incarceration of race and sexual minorities in Britain. A young girl sees her mother kidnapped by government flunkies, then witnesses a similar brutality as an adult. When a bishop arranges for sex with an underage girl (apparently a regular practice), he's killed as punishment (but not before he pushes his would-be girl victim onto his bed). Characters curse occasionally (infrequent use of the f-word, plus "bloody hell," "bitch," and the s-word).
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the film's presentation of terrorism as reasonable response to state oppression. Is violence ever an appropriate response? How do the evil chancellor's raging and V's tragic background (abused and institutionalized as a child) make V's cause seem sympathetic, even if it's illegal and aggressive? How does Evey's own childhood loss of her parents make her ready to be V's protégé? For fans of the book, families can discuss the differences between the film and its inspiration.
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More on V for Vendetta
What’s the Story?
More generic action movie than philosophical investigation, V FOR VENDETTA focuses on a young woman's political education. The underlying, irresolvable question has to do with terrorism: why and how are people pushed to commit it, and what might it achieve, aside from fear and oppression? Can calculated violence, ever, as its proponents argue, lead to "freedom"? At the center of is masked terrorist V (Hugo Weaving), who battles against a very corrupt British regime. Out after curfew, Evey (Natalie Portman) is about to be raped by some bad cops when V appears, kills them, and initiates his instruction of the vulnerable Evey in his anarchistic plot. V's rage is fueled by the usual superhero's past trauma. While the movie allows that torture only reproduces terrorism and violence, it also presents V's scheme as revolutionary and effectively symbolic. While V is hunted by a decent cop Finch (Stephen Rea), he keeps Evey at his secret lair, where he makes her tea and eggs for breakfast. Her eventual escape only leads her to a more awful place, imprisoned and tortured. At last, she admits, she is no longer afraid to die. And in this, she finds what V calls "freedom."
Is It Any Good?
Heavy-handed pronouncements exemplify V for Vendetta's distrust of viewers to interpret what they see, making the film's political and social commentary seem more cartoonish than insightful. Yes, imperialism is really bad, and yes, Nazi-ish iconography is a sure sign of a regime's need for change. What's less clear, and could use some reflection, is how V's violent acts will or will not produce more victims and vigilantes. "Freedom and justice are more than words," he says, "They are perspectives." And as such, they need rethinking at every step.
Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros., Director: James McTeigue
Run time: 131 minutes
Theatrical release: 03/17/2006, DVD release: 08/01/2006
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence and some language
Run time: 131 minutes
Theatrical release: 03/17/2006, DVD release: 08/01/2006
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence and some language
Our Members Say
See all 39 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
Troubling and almost insightful.
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I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
Intense and Disturbing, but very Well Made for 17+
Parents: This is not an action extravaganza; it is a highly disturbing, complex, and well made sci-fi morality tale with intense politics, provacative material, and some good action sequences. There are many disturbing issues (many of them graphically flash or are protracted on-screen), including torture, mass murder, governments killing hundreds of thousands, experimentation, child molestation, families being taken away from children and tortured/murdered, imprisonment, discrimination against homosexuals, and, finally, anarchy. A child is shot on screen (disturbing). A man is burned alive (his hands are seen on-screen; quite frightening). The action can get rough too; throats are slit, chests are impaled, people are smashed against floors and walls, etc. But, if you can stomach this material (and there is something almost constantly disturbing going on), then you should be in for a rare film that puzzles the mind, makes you think, and best of all, shocks you with two great twists in the middle, leaving you eagerly awaiting grand finale. But know this: if you are looking for a spectacular, epic final battle, I'm afraid you must go elsewhere. Otherwise, enjoy!
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Excellent film, but as the R rating indicates, not for anyone under 17.
As you cna see with my concerns and highlights, I am a bit of a ccontradiction. While the main character is all about Justice, and does cross the line into revenge. This movie is definitely a thinking person's delight. Even now I still am unsure of whether or not I believe that the character V is or is not in the right. About a half dozen uses of the F word, 15+ S words, and many more milder profanities. The violence(especially at the end) is very bloody and graphic. A massive grave holds hundreds of nakid dead bodies, and a woman is tortured. All of this is very disturbing. At the beginning of the film a gang attempts to rape a woman,(they are unable to fulfill the deed) and later on a priest attepmts to do the same(again unsuccessfull). Overall, great movie, it has really inspired some thought. HOwever, this is in no way shape or form for children.
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I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
N for Not For Kids
I liked it a lot but i think it's messages may go over some kids' heads and i thought that the throat-slashing finale was WAY overdone, not too mention the many bad words and the sexual implications.
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I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
Absolutely Fantastic!
All the people I know that don't like this movie said that they didn't like it because they didn't get it. My advice is to turn on the subtitles in the movie because information comes at you very quickly and if you miss anything, the experience will be ruined. If you do understand it fully, however, you'll enjoy an emotion-filled tale of a people's rebellion over a dictatorship all led by two incredible characters.
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Lives in FloridaI rate this title on for age 16 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
good movie, why R???
i think that this movie isn't that bad and shouldn't be rated R I know that it's violent but not realistic.
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I rate this title pause for age 14 and give it
If you gave the Phantom of the Opera six swords and 007-style fighting moves, and put him into George Orwell's 1984, you might get something like this movie. It's 2020,and the English government has taken total control. No one dares to do anything except for V, a masked man tortured by the government. On Guy Fawkes Night he plans to change England, but this goes awry when he rescues Evey Hammond, who he then adopts. I really liked this movie. It isn't appropriate for everyone, but Commonsense does exaggerate. The message is not, as Commonsense puts it, to extol terrorism. When the government goes as far as this, it is better for the people to attempt to change it than for them to be tortured and executed for holding a copy of the Koran. It is violent,however. V cuts a couple of throats, several people are shot, the government clubs people and takes them to torture camps, and the bodies of several people are found. There isn’t too much sex – some kissing, and Evey is nearly raped twice, rescued both times by V. I highly recommend this movie, but parents should watch it either with or before their kids do.
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I rate this title pause for age 13 and give it
this is not a kids movie but not why you think
so many reviews lose the message of the moviebut the real fact is the movie does have violence and sex but the thing is the movie message is more about how ideas never die and we deserve our rights i think violence solves nothing permently but some times you have to change it with violence for peace to even have a chance existing this movie is deep and thought provoking that raises many moral points like what would you do for peace by what means all parents like me should watch this movie and figure out if your kid will see it for more then just another movie with knives but for the message it holds
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
amazing
this movie is amazing any one over old enough to understand it should see it
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I rate this title off for age 0 and give it
bad
bad movie
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Fascinating
V for Vendetta is fairly violent, mature, with a good, but slow storyline. Overall an extremely good movie, highly recommended. Dont take kids without some background knowledge on politics or under the age of 12.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Excellent thinker
I was really impressed with the complexity of this movie and it makes you think. There is a lot of violence so be warned but the overall plot and issues it addresses are very relevant to today.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Disappointing
V for Vendetta starts out very interesting, but fades away in the middle and becomes fairly dull. Just an okay movie, somewhat disappointing.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
read the book.
V for Vendetta is based on a graphic novel writen by Alan Moore in the 80s. Many colleges have this book in their curriculum. I have not finished the book myself, but I have noticed the movie adaptation is mostly true to it. But not 100% In the not-so-distant future, the "former united states" as fallen as a result of a futile over-seas war which has crippled much of europe. England has risen into power by way of media manipulation and fear/faith tactics. Their once elected leader assumes role as a totalitarian..."for the people's protection."...after an alledged "biological attack" that killed 80,000 people. Persecution of minority groups, homosexuals and non-christians soon follows. Possession of questionable, offensive or "blacklisted" music, books, art, films and demonstrations of political satire are all punishable by death. Like in any such oppressive society, a revolution is inevidable. As V quotes "The government should fear it's people. The people should never fear their government." V for Vendetta is about the makings of such a revolt. A tortured, but charming soul, V sets out to assasinate the chain of command in the government's regime and pave a way for the people to rise against what's left of it. Meanwhile, he demonstrates his determination as he demolishes government buildings and hi jacks TV stations to announce responsiblity for his actions and broadcast his agenda. On his path, he adopts Evey, the daugther of political activists who were executed for their "crimes." V teaches Evey what it takes to be so driven by an idea that you do not fear dying for it. Children under the age of 15 may not find this movie very appealing. There are many long winded rants in reference to Shakesphere and revolutionary events. The violence, although not terribly gorey, is quick and bloody. The world in which V for Vendetta takes place in, is cruel and desperate. Children and women are often abused by figures of authority with no one (except V) to save them. There is one scene where a little girl is shot dead by a police officer for defacing a Big Brother slogan in her neighborhood. As a result, the people turn against the officer, beating him with shovels and other garden tools. Evey's good friend reveals to her in private that he is "living a lie" as a heterosexual TV host and shows her his private collection of black-listed items included a Quran, a piece of pop art mocking the chancellor, and photographs of his gay lover. Later that night, he is beaten and dragged out of his home by police for a Benny Hill-like stetch he wrote for his show in which he mocked the government's incompetence. While imprisoned, Evey discovered the auto-biography written on toilet paper by a lesbian telling her tale of persecution and imprisonment. In this tragic story, the woman onced lived happily and peacefully with her same-sex partner until police were sent to tear them out of their home, imprisoned, tortured and put to death. This is the same case for most character's background stories. There is a lot of pain, anger and fear throughout the movie, which younger viewers may not understand. But the happy ending is that they all become free to be who they truely are. Free of fear and free of persecution. These are ideas that people kill and die for everyday. Overall, the story is touching, revelant and smart. It takes some deal of understanding both historical and current events to appreciate V's violent resolve without condoning the violence itself.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 100% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
| 40% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 40% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 40% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
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