Children of Men
and V for Vendetta comparative essay
Priscilla Nash,
Year 12, DV7
In Children of Men, the colours that were used in each
scene were very neutral. Everything seemed like a mixture of blue, grey
dullness to visually narrate how the bleak the world had become. Dark and
subtle lighting was used to emphasize the banal and depressing atmosphere. The
main locations in this film are the city, secluded parts of the countryside,
run-down refugee sites and a long-forgotten town that’s in ruins. The costumes
used in this film were very carefully selected. Social superiority and cultural
division played a significant part in this film and is clearly shown by each
character and how the act, speak and dress. Costumes of people in the city are
well dressed, everyday clothes (sometimes smart clothing), people living in
harsh conditions were wearing raged and worn out clothes. I think this film is
unique because it shows how lost the world would be without children and it
also highlights the consequences of having none present.
In a way, the story of V for Vendetta is told through the
deaths of characters. Each victim that V killed played a significant part in
his life and contributed to his dis-figuration and hatred for the current
society in which he lives. In V for Vendetta, there are no bright or vibrant
colours for the majority of the film, apart from the fireworks which symbolises
V’s idea of a new beginning. The location of this film is in central London and
V’s lair which he calls “The Shadow Gallery”. The only apparent lighting in the
Shadow Gallery was from lamps on the walls and tables, creating an atmosphere
of both tranquillity and suspense. The characters in V for Vendetta are wearing
normal, everyday clothes except for V, the members of government and the prisoners
at Larkhill. V wears a Guy Fawkes mask and is clothed in all black like some
sort of a masked villain. The members of government are always in suits and the
prisoners at Larkhill wear nothing but a medium-length piece of material. I
think V for Vendetta is unique because it shows how the government can
manipulate people and take away their human rights and freedom in most extreme
ways.
Theo and Julian are a former married couple and have been
distant from each other for a while (both emotionally and physically). Miriam
is a retired midwife who is assigned to be Kee’s carer. Kee, the pregnant girl
who needs to be transported in secret, learns to trust Theo and they build an
unusual friendship throughout their journey. At one point or another, all
characters confront rivalry, conspiracies and uprisings. Theo goes on his
journey for the cash reward and brief (possibly sexual) re-conciliation with
his wife. The film ends with Theo and Kee in a rowing boat, finally safe from
the conflict, violence and people who were after her baby.
V meets Evey when he saves her from getting raped by the
secret police called “Finger men”. After he saves her and she does the same for
him the next day, he takes her to his lair and over the space of a year they
form an un-usual friendship. The characters that V kills and leaves a rose on
their chest are people who experimented on him and instigated his hatred and
revenge. V and Evey confront the dilemmas of having people looking for them to
be captured and killed. V goes on his journey to seek revenge for what was done
to him, to destroy the ruling of a fascist government and to give the people
back their freedom. The film ends with V dead and inside the tube that blows up
parliament and all the people of London wearing capes and Guy Fawkes masks.
Dystopia, terrorism, conflict and infertility are the
main themes that are explored in Children of Men. The dystopia aspects of this
film are the noticeable signs of oppression and human despair that are created
by infertility issues. Acts of terror that are in this film are made apparent
in the first scene where there is an explosion and in the characters who call
themselves “Fishes” who want to use the newborn baby for their revolt. The
theme of conflict is explored widely throughout the film; displaying social and
cultural superiority, disagreements on political views and copious amounts of
wars.
The dominant themes in V for Vendetta are dystopia,
terrorism and fascism. The dystopian and fascist aspects of V for Vendetta are demonstrated
by the government who control the nation’s every move and anyone who opposes
would be detained. The film is based around government conspiracy which links
in with the theme of terrorism. Blowing up the Old Bailey and Parliament was V’s
way of sending a strong message to the people who controlled society.
The ideas that are explored in Children of Men are the
consequences of infertility and how the world would react. It also explores how
the birth of a new child can cause both peace and chaos between sets of people.
I think the film tells us that without human reproduction, the world would be a
banal place to live in and people would turn to extreme jobs and priorities to
fill their time.
The ideas that are explored in V for Vendetta are
reclaiming back freedom and not to conform to fascists who have every inch of
control. In V for Vendetta, Evey learns how to live without fear and V learns
how the trait of love and compassion.
I noticed there are quite a few similarities between Children
of Men and V for Vendetta. Both films start off with a news report that set the
tone and back-story of what’s happening. They both cling to the theme that
Britain/England is the only stable country even though the world is in ruins.
Dystopia is a primary factor in both films which is demonstrated by government
conspiracies and living in a fixed, commercialized society. In Children of Men
and V for Vendetta, both films target certain groups of people: terrorists,
immigrants and homosexuals. V for Vendetta illustrates how homosexuals would be
detained and Children of Men shows hoe immigrants would be put in cages, harsh
conditions and refugee camps. In both
films the main characters die at the end of their journey, doing what they
think is right for themselves, the female they’re looking after and their
society.
