I wrote an article awhile back that listed some of the best vigilante movies. Well, I started thinking about it and realized that I missed a couple great movies that feature some pretty memorable vigilantes. I thought about how to rectify my mistake and determined that writing another article, a sequel of sorts, seemed like the best idea. So, here are some more vigilante movies. (Also, you can check out the first article here.)
V for Vendetta
I can’t say that I completely agree with the political statements that the Wachowski Brothers were trying to make in this film, but I have to admit that it represents some pretty fine film making. The plot focuses on a terrorist named “V” who fights back against the brutal government that has destroyed the lives of society at large as well as him personally–all the while wearing a Guy Fawkes mask (Fawkes famously attempted to blow up the House of Parliament on the fifth of November). Along the way, V enlists the help of Evey, played by Natalie Portman. This role, I believe, spawned the name of the band Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head.
Batman Begins
This is the movie that reinvented Batman. Christian Bale takes over as the Dark Knight in this film, which takes a much darker take on Batman than previous films. Going along with those darker themes, the film explores issues pertaining to vigilantism (and yes, the spell check confirms that vigilantism is, indeed, a word). Is it really just and right for one man with extraordinary abilities and resources at his disposal to take it upon himself to dole out justice? And just how far must such guardians go to protect society? Those are the kinds of questions this movie asks. And while we’re on the subject of Batman . . .
The Dark Knight
This is just plain an amazing movie. Whether you like comic book movies, crime movies, vigilante movies, whatever, you just need to see this movie as soon as humanly possible. Yes, Heath Ledger’s performance as the joker is amazing–everything you’ve heard about it is true. The movie takes a surprisingly astute look at good, evil, and everything in between. Poignant lines like, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain” make this action-packed movie a deep one exploring moral issues as well. But it’s still fun to see Batman kick some ass.
Apocolypto
This movie is interesting because it takes place among ancient Mayan civilization. The village where Jaguar Paw, the main character, lives is raided and Jaguar Paw and many of his peers are captured as slaves. Eventually he escapes and has an opportunity to pay back his captors for all of the pain and suffering they’ve caused him.
I haven’t actually seen this movie yet, which is probably a shame because it’s supposed to be a classic. It’s directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Robert Deniro as an ex-Marine who, because he suffers from insomnia, drives taxis late at night. In response to the crime he sees prevalent in the city, he begins to take the law into his own hands.
