mixed reactions

Rating: 9/10 (17 March 2006)

having read the graphic novel, i expected a lot from this film. i was slightly disappointed, but as with every print-to-screen adaptation, it comes with the territory.
virtually every subplot has been eliminated to focus on the three main characters. v the revolutionary, every the unwitting apprentice, and finch the detective.
this could have been better, but we can say that about every movie that's ever been made if we want to nit-pick.
overall, it follows the primary story as laid out in the original comic; one man against the totalitarian world.
miss portman's performance was great, the FX were great, and the ending was a bit more upbeat than the book. heck, it was damn near inspirational.timely also, considering our current state of the world.
i expect most people will enjoy this more if they hadn't read the book first. at least that's how it seemed at the advance screening i went to. most of the crowd applauded and cheered at the explosive finale. the few people i talked to hadn't read the novel.
v comes off as more of a "superhero" than in the comic, which in itself isn't a bad thing. it's just too bad the "symbol being greater than any one man" moral already was used in BATMAN BEGINS.
expect negative reviews from comic fans who hold this title in high regards. just as you should expect better reviews from movie fans that don't read comics.
not the best adaption ever, but better than FROM HELL or LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMAN, the other two alan moore titles already filmed.
not as good as the book, but an above average film nonetheless.