Awesome! Easily the best movie to come out so far this year,

Rating: 10/10 (17 March 2006)

packed with plenty of style, bunches of action, various interlinked interesting and engaging characters, a contemporary message that cannot be missed and a couple of attractive leads, both of whom bring forth developed personas, as well as an intriguing relationship, all wrapped up in a giant ball of entertainment. That's right, if you didn't think that a movie can both entertain on a visceral level and warn you about the dangers of "too much government" at the same time, prepare yourself to be stupefied as VENDETTA does just that, and does it all in style, grace and a wicked pace that doesn't even give you a second to consider the possibility of getting bored(it's just not going to happen). I was engrossed by this film from scene one all the way through its many deviations, surprises, twists and terrorist turns, as it continually kept things moving, while at the same time, allowing us to follow the events as a detective mightfiltering through all of the clues and twists dropped throughout. Who is this V character? Why did they shave Natalie Portman's head? What really happened to her parents? All pertinent questions which are all slowly responded to, as this futuristic English society begins to crack under the pressure. For me, the film made me question stuff, exhilarated me at various moments (the final "fight sequence" was poetry in motionoh, and bloody!), allowed me to relax and enjoy some of its quieter times (the scenes between V and Portman in his underground lair were romantic and Portman dressed up as a lolita was good and ultimately engaged me in a circle of curiosity throughout. The ending wasn't as unpredictable as you might expect, but that was fine, since it was the journey that was the enjoyment for me. The film also had style with everything looking very slick, dark and deadly. It also had a tinge of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE undercurrent working below it, which is always nice. Kudos to all of the actors in the show as well, since their commitments to the characters were also part of what made this film come alive, and extra props to Portman for bringing home her A-game and even Hugo Weaving, who might have had the hardest job of allemoting stuff behind a frozen mask. But you know whathe did it! I felt for this guy and that's the sign of a great actor. All in all, don't go into this film expecting a wham-bam-thank-you-Wachowki type of flick, because it's far from that. This movie contains more ideas than action, more politics than thrills and more ideology than bullet-time, but in the endit does deliver in a little bit of everything, and for methat's always welcome in this world of rehashes and remakes . Viva la V for Vendettafinally, some guts on the big screen! Oh, and if you've always wondered what the difference was between a terrorist and a freedom fighterwonder some more.