V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)

PLOT:
IN the distance future England is the supreme power in the world. The United States has fallen into a state of civil war. But England is rules by a totalitarian government that represes any visible inorities. The story mainly revolves around a girl named Evey (Natalie Portman, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) Who is rescued from a group of dirty cops by a masked man named V (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix Revolutions). V is a freedom fighter who plans to begin a revolution by blowing up the British parlement. Over the course of one year Evey learns abuot who V really is and why he is doing this. The movie is also about Eric Finch (Stephen Rea, The Reaping), who is an invesigator that is supose to find V. Fich begins to understand what is wrong with the government and the history of the High Chanseler Adam Sutler (John Hurt, Hellboy), who is responsable for the terrible government.

Overall V For Vendetta truns out to be an excelent movie. Natalie Portman gives an Oscar worthy performence and the Wichowski brothers did a great job at adapting the classic graphic novel. I would highly recomend this movie to virtauly everyone.

I'll never forget seeing this movie for the first time on the big screen. Being a big fan of the Matrix films, I was eagerly anticipating the Wachowskis' next project. And for the next 130 minutes, I was blown away. Not only was the story intricate and engaging, the acting intense and convincing, the characters sympathetic and human, but the subtext of the film was unbelievable.

At several points throughout the film my jaw dropped and I thought, "Did they just say what I thought they said?" I walked out of the theater elated and awed at what the filmmakers had created. I even had a moment of delusional optimism: "Maybe people will GET it! This could be the movie that breaks the door down!" But, like a sign from the great pessimist in the sky, my wishful thinking was promptly rebuked.

Leaving the theater I overheard a man talking with his son. They, too, had just seen the movie. Surely, he had seen what I had seen; heard what I had heard. But no. "It was a good movie," he said. "But just remember, son, it's a movie, not real life." I wanted to sock the guy in the face. How could a human see the movie and come away with such a pusillanimous and lily-livered response?

What property of human stubbornness and "thick-skulledness" can misinterpret the line, "artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover the truth up." But I should know better. The human mind has a hyperactive tenacity in relation to avoiding uncomfortable conclusions. Cognitive dissonance reigns supreme. If believing two contradictory pieces of information at the same time can prevent one from accepting an uncomfortable truth, our subconscious is more than willing to give us a hand.

"No son, our government would never do such a thing." Bollocks.

V for Vendetta is a no-holds-barred condemnation of the creeping fascism that has infected both the American and British systems of government; of their repeated use of false-flag operations to cow their populations into blind and terror-based submission; the presence of psychopathic individuals in said governments and all the implications that follow from that point.

I've never read the graphic novel, but I don't think you need to read it to appreciate the movie. There are some that will, upon seeing this film, say that it was akin to Andrew Lloyd Weber attempting to make a political statement: overly dramatic. These people would be well served to remember that the symbol of drama is a mask, which certainly begs one important question- Why, if you are so put off by an overtly dramatic motion picture, would you choose to see a movie that stars as the (anti)hero a man in a mask?

This film doesn't glorify V as a terrorist but shows that under certain circumstances he was tempted to be what he is. The film has an intriguing atmosphere throughout, a few slow moments, and an apocalyptic future setting that really heightens the tension with starkly dark set design and stunning cinematography. There is a reference or close resemblance to Guatanamo prison in the film. And it made the film even more direct.

Hidden behind the creepy mask, Hugo Weaving really proves he is a versatile actor. His character provokes thoughtful questions in a dystrophic future, and every emotion of his character is brought out by Weavings performance. Portman on the other hand also excels, with a convincing accent. She really is the heroine of the film and she handles the role quite well. The scenes between Evey and V are touching and well handled. The rest of the film is great in its execution. The climax, especially, was uplifting and will live on to be the most memorable conclusion. The action is striking and the performances in the drama are standout.

I'm going to say that it's nothing short of its brilliance. Entertaining from the start, V manages to combine a strong socio-political message in a compact and highly intense experience. Infused with issues and concepts that pervade in the global political climate of our times, this movie is endowed with a tremendous timely relevance that belies its trappings as a mere action adventure. A terrific achievement produced by the Wachowski's and Silver.