Thanks to Portman’s skill, this emotional journey totally pays off, and there’s a genuine sense of catharsis as Evey purges herself of her pent-up negative emotions in this moment. It’s first rate stuff, as is the way she effortlessly transitions into honest, tearful, joyous laughter, the convincing capstone of a metamorphosis arc that’s seeded throughout V for Vendetta’s first two acts. Watch closely as Portman first moves out into the deluge how she behaves as if she’s in a trance – embodying Evey’s almost spiritual connection with Valerie’s letter as she echoes a line from it, “God is in the rain”, in a distant tone – before snapping out of her glassy-eyed haze as the water hits her. While V for Vendetta doesn’t quite rank up there with Portman’s work in Black Swan or Closer, the way she’s able to subtly externalise Evey’s emotional gear shifts is nevertheless a powerful reminder of why she’s regarded as one of the finest talents of her generation. A scene with minimal dialogue is therefore ideal, as it allows the Oscar-winning actor to channel her formidable talents into a purely physical, distraction-free performance – and what a performance it is. In some ways, this plays to Portman’s strengths although she’s never anything less than effective as Evey, her English accent is a little wobbly at times, which can be kinda distracting. Whether you’ve rewatched the scene or just ingested my summary, it’s clear that Evey’s rebirth is an emotional highpoint in V for Vendetta’s narrative – which means the actors really had to bring their A-game for the scene to connect with audiences.įortunately, stars Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving prove up the challenge, delivering nuanced turns despite the near-total absence of any dialogue in the scene. And in the cool, cleansing waters she is at last fully reborn, just like V was, only different… Using lies to tell the truth: analysing the acting in the Evey rebirth scene Reminded of the hauntingly beautiful letter penned by one of V’s fellow inmates, Valerie, that she found during her captivity, Evey steps out into the heavy downpour hammering the roof. The strain of their confrontation soon proves too much for Evey and she collapses obliging her request for fresh air, V takes Evey to the rooftop above his subterranean hideout. Emotionally and physically exhausted, she lashes out at V, who justifies his actions while trying to give her the final push she needs to transform from passive victim to driven anarchist. His motivation? To trigger in her a philosophical re-awakening much like his own, by subjecting her to the same unspeakable conditions he endured while held in a concentration camp years earlier.Īs you’d expect, the revelation that she’s been duped (and brutally so) leaves Evey feeling, well… pissed. ![]() If it’s been a while since you watched V for Vendetta – and really, today is the perfect excuse to revisit the film!) – here’s a quick recap of the Evey rebirth scene.Įvey Hammond (Natalie Portman) has just discovered that her recent imprisonment and torture wasn’t overseen by the police state that rules the dystopian vision of the UK she calls home, but by her erstwhile mentor, V (Hugo Weaving).
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