Courageous, fascinating movie signals a cultural shift

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2006)

Dramatically, it's a little flawed, but I'd blame that on its considerable thematic weight. It's a courageous, fascinating movie that questions and attacks US and "Coalition of The Willing" fear-mongering in the pre- and post-9/11 era. In an effort to not-so-subtly mask its primary target, its setting is post-Thatcher Britain where Big Brother, John Hurt, fans the flames of fear and spews bald-faced lies on giant TV screens to a zombified populace totally reliant on mainstream media for its "truth" and moral compass.
"V" (Hugo Weaving), which stands for both Victim and Vendetta, initiates a series of incendiary subversive acts he hopes will destabilize the government and cause it to fear its people rather than the other way around. Natalie Portman, in an important but not always crucial role, plays Esmeralda to V's Phantom and undergoes an interesting transformation that locks itself into V's dramatic journey.
The pacing is sluggish in places and the exposition is thick, but "V For Vendetta" is a work of ideas and outrage, and it wears its heart sincerely on its sleeve. It addresses issues not only as topical as terrorism and government deception, but it also shakes up subjects as diverse as sexual intolerance, secret prisons, the media's snug relationship with the ruling party, and the purpose of violent rebellion.
That a multi-national such as Time-Warner made and released this movie is, in itself, a sign that we may be emerging from a dark, cloudy period in which basic human rights have been ignored by folks claiming to be championing them with missionary-style zeal.
The action set pieces, which are not numerous, are not staged on a grand scale, but they are exceptionally well directed, smartly edited, and threaded with the blackest of humor. Performances are all excellent, with Stephen Rea and Weaving stand-outs.
The film is funny at times because it's truth is so raw, but the audience I saw it with in a large LA cinema was, for the most part, not laughing. I predict that this film's value may not be immediate, but it is assured.