The Comic Critic Reviews "V for Vendetta"

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“Divide et impera” is Latin for “divide and conquer,” which gives you an idea of just how old and how long this political tactic has been in use. In its simplest form, you might think of using it to dilute the effectiveness of your enemy on the battlefield. But what if you think of the general population as the enemy? The same tactic could be applied. And one of the best ways to implement this is to convince one sector of the population that it does not have the same merit or worth as another sector. By installing a sense of superiority into another part of the population, you can then easily create a class system. To reinforce this false superiority, you spread lies and monger fear. They’re told that unless you back the system, what little you have will be taken away from you. And if you are fed this diet consistently, you might believe that it is true. And next, you’re fighting to defend lies and ignorance. Take a look at the history of slavery in the United States. The white sharecroppers of the south were led to believe that what little they had would be taken away from them if slaves were to be given freedom. This instilled such a deep, irrational fear that the country is still trying to battle back to sanity. Look anywhere in history and you will find the seeds of mistrust, fear, hate, and ignorance being sown so that a few can more easily reign over the many. V for Vendetta pulls the viewer into looking at what defines Fascism, Totalitarianism, Anarchy, and Rebellion. The movie’s core message is only true fights should be towards an equal and just society for all. Is it then so surprising to see the mask that character V wore to suddenly spring up and be seen at protest rallies, or worn by the representatives of the hacking group Anonymous? V for Vendetta will retain its legs long into the future as its message is one that counters those who seek to reign unchecked, that is “United we stand.”