1984 the panto

Rating: 3/10 (3 January 2007)

This film clearly has pretensions towards political profundity, but is really just a pantomime of comic book villains kitted out in fascist jackboots to try and lend it a veneer of seriousness.
Set in a near future fascist UK there are inevitably numerous nods made towards Orwell's masterpiece 1984. Unfortunately for the film-makers their own work can only emerge from this juxtaposition looking even sillier. Matters are not improved by some ham-fisted attempts to link this future world's totalitarian predicament in with the current "War on Terror". These amount to nothing more than the usual whiny dinner-party critiques, which the film-makers would like to kid us are intellectually daring and important.
Visually the film does successfully capture its intended comic book aesthetic. However, if like me you are not a fan of comic books this will be of limited interest.
As for the acting, it is no more than adequate, although this probably says more about the script than the actors. In fact there are a number of reliable character actors like Stephen Rea and John Hurt in supporting roles. They just look very much like they're thinking of their fees.
Natalie Portman, whose performance has been praised to the rafters in so many other posts, is really no more than OK. She just about manages to hold that absurdly posh, cut-glass English accent all American actresses seem to adopt whenever they play a Brit, presumably coaching themselves by watching Brief Encounter. If ever a Hollywood actress manages a convincing Geordie or Scouse accent, then I'll be impressed.
Meanwhile, Hugo Weaving does what he can with a character who spends the entire film running around in a Guy Fawkes mask. But the fact is there's no real character there for him to play. Just an overblown comic book caricature.
Just to cap the whole sorry experience, the film finishes with an ending which I can only describe as sanctimonious, implausible drivel. Safe to say I won't be rushing back for a second viewing.