Superbly crafted and exciting drama of a bleak possible future

Rating: 9/10 (20 October 2008)

Great Britain in the not too distant future. From the beginning of the film we are led to believe that the USA has collapsed, due to a plague and ensuing chaos and that the UK has become a totalitarian, repressive state. A combination of Hitlers's Third Reich and George Orwell's 1984. Terrifyingly realistic. (The character played implacably by John Hurt is the 'Chancellor', Adam Sutler  the references are obvious.) The story starts with a young woman being waylaid on the street at night, defying the curfew in place, and is rescued by a masked man, calling himself 'V'. She subsequently has an opportunity to repay the debt by helping him, and the story progresses from there. 'V' is a man with a single-minded mission  to destroy the machinery of the state and allow democracy to grab a chance. In a way, the tale, although well told and well acted, is only a useful metaphor for the real story  a warning of just how close we could be to the events depicted. Increasing control of people's lives, under the excuse of anti-terrorism and protection of the state, has led to a constant fear of being who you really are, if that means something other than what the State requires 'You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it.' is a comment by the character played by Stephen Fry. Hugo Weaving is superb. His performance (in a Guy Fawkes mask the whole film) is all the more chilling for being understated and calm, (except when he's rescuing Natalie Portman or flashing knives around!) Despite not being able to see his face, his voice and body posture give us his character. Natalie Portman convinces with a stunning performance as a young woman who has been intimidated by the state for most of her life. The cinematography is also praiseworthy. Unlike some dark and disturbing films, which are shot in dark and disturbing colours (or near pitch black!) this is rendered in natural, if muted, tones and daylight is daylight and bright and stark corridors of hospitals, etc. are actually bright. This helps to make the scenes believable, real, adding to the chill. The ending is spectacular. To say more would spoil it for you. This is a splendid piece of work, and I believe, a very important film. It has rightly had a scattering of awards and nominations but Hollywood in its all-too-frequent parochial ignorance has thus far not seen fit to dish out an Oscar or two, whilst lavishing praise on a handful of over-hyped trash in recent years. If you haven't yet seen it  see it. It's the best movie I've seen in quite a while. And it makes you think.