Alan Moore has been the genius behind some of the greatest works of fiction: Doctor Who, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Batman: The Killing Joke, Swamp Thing, Constantine, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to name a few. His essential grasp over the grimdark, dysfunctional reality of this world has allowed him to craft some of the most exceptional and exquisite pieces of literature.
However, as is the case with most works of genius, such novels and comics have either been deemed completely unadaptable, too dense and difficult to convert into live-action, or condensed and edited for the audience’s clarity. When it comes to the latter, the original source text is often disregarded and changed in certain parts to meet the film’s vision – which, in turn, defeats the purpose of the original story.
V for Vendetta also suffered through a somewhat similar circumstance when it was adapted into a live-action film.
V for Vendetta film incurs its original author’s wrath
![V for Vendetta [Credit: DC Comics]](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18132809/V-for-Vendetta-Credit-DC-Comics.jpg "“Largely impotent American liberal fantasy”: Despite Creating V for Vendetta, Alan Moore Will Never Respect the $134M Natalie Portman Cult-Hit 6")
With two of the most in-demand actors headlining the film, V for Vendetta was destined to be an undisputed success. Both Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving executed their parts splendidly, with the latter being nothing short of dramatic and operatic in his role – which matched the tone of V in the comics.
However, Alan Moore – writer of the original comic series – was anything but pleased with the film adaptation of his work. The reason behind his ire, however, had more to do with the ideology behind the plot than the execution of the film itself. Known for its famously anarchic concept and anti-government message, the film’s tone failed to match the severity of the ideology represented by Moore in the comics.
He later revealed his strong hatred toward the film in cutting and harsh words in an interview with MTV, saying:
[The comic] was specifically about things like fascism and anarchy. Those words, ‘fascism’ and ‘anarchy,’ occur nowhere in the film. It’s been turned into a Bush-era parable by people too timid to set a political satire in their own country… It’s a thwarted and frustrated and perhaps largely impotent American liberal fantasy of someone with American liberal values [standing up] against a state run by neo-conservatives — which is not what ‘V for Vendetta’ was about.
Almost matching the cynicism, anger, and dogma represented by his story’s morally ambiguous villain, Alan Moore still stands strongly against the film adaptation of his exceptional comic series. Irrespective of his opinion, however, the 2005 film holds 73% on the film critic website, Rotten Tomatoes.
V for Vendetta – Original comic vs. film adaptation
James McTeigue’s adaptation of V for Vendetta stands out in a lot of aspects when compared to Alan Moore’s original work. For one, the political satire and commentary are toned down far more than what Moore intended. The author’s understanding of anarchy and the complete destruction of the fascist state fails to find its way into the film.
Instead, the final scene of V for Vendetta marks a collective gathering of people who represent the importance of democracy and liberalism against an oppressive and conservative State. Moore did not intend to spark any such ideas within his work but to represent the annihilation of fascism and the birth of something completely pure and new.
The film also strayed away from constructing V’s core identity as a mentor and surrogate father figure to Evey, who would carry on V’s legacy in the new world to come. Rather, the film leaned into a more romantic undertone between V and Evey – which neither holds meaning nor substance in the politically-charged storyline of V for Vendetta.
V for Vendetta is currently streaming on Prime Video and Apple TV.
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