(work related)

To say I am pissed would be a bit of an understatement.

Herein lies the problem

I want to see V for Vendetta in the theatre. I want to see it even though I am convinced that it won't hold a candle to the comic. (Which I still have not ordered, but probably will tomorrow, once the bank account is replenished). I am convinced, at this point, that the Wachowski brothers, vaunted 'creators' of the Matrix trilogy, have had their 15 minutes of fame, and at this point probably couldn't script their way out of a paper bag.

I have a good reason for doubting that a cinematic version of an Alan Moore comic will be any good.

You see, not too long ago, I admitted to having watched The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen when it came on cable television. Okay, the movie sucks when compared to the comic, as expected, and I believe I mentioned then that there were a number of plot holes in the movie.

However, I recently realized that there was this one plot hole that I couldn't reconcile, no matter how I tried. (Okay, two. The citizens of London should at least have been pointing and exclaiming wonderment at Nemo's car.)

Why is Quatermain in the movie?

Now, I know why he's in the comic. I've read the comic. I love the comic. He plays a required part in the comic, being essentially responsible for stopping Hyde from killing Mina Murray and Dupin, helpful in acquiring the Invisible Man, and so forth. Therefore, he was essential in recruiting the team that Moriarty needed to recover the Cavorite, which had been stolen by Fu Manchu.

However, in the movie, the sole reason Moriarty recruits the team is not to recover Cavorite (indeed, no such item exists in the movie, and there is a definite lack of Fu Manchu), but to have all of the members together so his agent (Dorian Gray) can acquire samples of Jekyll's serum, Mina's blood, the Invisible Man's skin, and technology from Nemo. But he needs nothing from Quatermain, or for that matter Tom Sawyer (although, of course, Tom Sawyer brought himself along, rather then being planned on by Moriarty). So why invite Quatermain? I mean, let's face it. If Quatermain hadn't been brought along, the Invisible Man, Jekyll, and Nemo would likely have been killed by the agents of Moriarty, and Mina would probably have been severely inconvienenced. After their deaths, it would have been child's play for Moriarty to get a sample of skin from the Invisible Man, the serum from Jekyll, etc. Getting Nemo's tech would have been more difficult, what with his loyal minions guarding the sub, but with their leader dead, their morale would have suffered. Plus, it's not like Moriarty didn't have goons of his own....

Yes, I know, Quatermain was essential in teaching Tom Sawyer to make the shot that felled Moriarty, but so what?

Yes, I know, it would have been an awfully short movie (and even more disappointing, if that was even possible) if they all died 30 minutes into it, but come on. This is a "Rosebud" sized plot hole. (Okay, maybe not quite that large...)

I suspect there will be similar problems with V for Vendetta.