that inch

Rating: 10/10 (18 February 2007)

how do i put it? i've seen this film three times and still don't understand it completely. three times and i still laugh and cry. it is hysterical yet so painful to behold. and i want to hug, hold, kiss v--but you can't touch an idea. "it is bulletproof."
i first admired natalie portman through "garden state," which i do not find as revolutionary now as i did years ago. but this performance of hers cannot fade from my mind. how i can feel the fear, the apathy, the shame she's felt all her life. i think we all can.
but through the help of v, i feel her rage, her confusion, and her liberation as she is whittled again and again to become a noble human being who is willing to die for the truth. in this, hugo weaving performs very well as v, through his voice, his movements. it must have been challenging not to show a face, only a mask, using merely lighting and music to set the mood. but i confess i believe him and i believe that mask completely.
i am convinced in every aspect about the existence and ultimate goal of v because he is not that fairytale hero we've dreamed about as children. he lies, manipulates, kills. he is very much like the government he is fighting against. and yet his objectives are pure, as are his means of attaining them. and he lies only to uncover the truth.
if you have not seen the movie yet, i urge you to as soon as possible. and do it again and again. if you have read the graphic novel, do not expect the movie remain loyal to it. i watched this first, then hated the novel. now i love both.
the movie is only successful and poignant because it has been shaped for the screen. the novel is similar, but for a more mature, a more open-minded, a more... esoteric audience. but give them both a chance and keep that inch of yourself that no one else may understand or care about. that you had once thought meant nothing.