An Outstanding Movie Experience

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2007)

I've read other people's opinions on this movie and wonder when people have lost sight of what movies are for--to entertain us. I suppose it's easy to read many things into the meaning of movie stories, but all too often, into pure fiction are read far too many religious and political morays. What most fiction movies attempt to do is transport us, for 2 hours or so, into another world, to tell us a story while it entertains us. This is not a fictional story, based upon true history or events--it is purely fiction for entertainment purposes.
What V for Vendetta does, is give us a story that is visually stunning and thought provoking. There are two actual story threads being told here--the current story of V, Evey, and the politics of their time, as well as the back story of V and how he came to be. There is a lot of intriguing information here and the writer and director wove it into the plot in a masterful and meaningful way. There are many cultural overtones and the story addresses political corruption and intolerance, but not in a way that tries to influence the viewer in any way. The movie's message is one of tolerance and justice.
The main character, V, is on a vendetta to eradicate those in the government that have both wronged him, and created the corrupt world in which they live. He befriends a young woman--a relationship that changes and grows in a most unusual way. V has adopted the personal of Guy Fawkes, a historical freedom fighter, and wears a Guy Fawkes mask and guise throughout the movie to conceal the disfigurement done to him by government-commissioned biological experiments.
Whether or not the movie script stays loyal to the original story is irrelevant. Many movies greatly stray from their original books or stories. What matters is what you see, feel and experience during the time you spend with "V," and how well it tells its own screen story. And this is what has been done so very well. Natalie Portman gives her best performance since "The Professional," Stephen Rhea is outstanding, John Hurt is perfect in his role, but it is Hugo Weaving who brings V to life and delivers such a wonderful charismatic character. We never see his face. The entire character is done by delivering a simply stunning vocal performance, perfect inflections, and well placed and executed nods of his masked head. Mr. Weaving's performance of this character is exquisite.
For sheer entertainment purposes, you can't get much better than V for Vendetta.