More than a shoot -'em-up

Rating: 10/10 (3 April 2006)

V for Vendetta had the makings of a typical Hollywood movie filled with explosions, blood and violence. But the Wachowski brothers created a film with multiple levels of meaning that the trailers failed to even begin decoding. It is set more than 20 years in the future in England where a masked man attempts to change the world. There are elements of Hitler's rise to power through the induction of fear, the mystery of Phantom of the Opera, but most importantly an inquisitive protagonist similar to the one found in Orwell's 1984. The theme is evident: People should not be afraid of their government; the government should be afraid of the people. Through ingenious acts of deception and illusion, the main character, V, shapes Evie, a girl he rescues in an alleyway. As a common woman, she represents all of society. She has the ability to incite change but is unsure how to go about it. V's acts come across as horrendous to some, but for those attentively listening to his rationale, seems so logical. A higher-thinking member of the audience will be able to draw parallels to present life and come the horrific realization we better take care of the future before we fall victim to the same totalitarian rule.