A truly enjoyable movie

Rating: 9/10 (19 March 2006)

Whenever I read these user reviews on IMDb, I alway groan when the reviewer can't resist telling us the entire plot, so I won't similarly bore you. Instead, let's see if I can just convince you to see this film without giving away too much while still enticing you, eh? Well, just know the movie is expertly set, acted, and edited. I went to see this film mostly out of curiosity, and because initial reviews were so good and I love Natalie Portman. Here she leaves her lovely self behind to exercise her considerable actingskills, and succeeds. As good as she is, Hugo Weaving as 'V' is even better. He commands the screen while in a role hidden behind mask and cape. This, to me, is a true acting tour de force. Because Weaving cannot use facial gestures to convey meaning and nuance, he must do so with voice and simple head and hand gestures. I was absolutely stunned at how well he accomplished this, with the aid of some very good dialogue. In one of the cast interviews now circulating on the web, he was asked whether he still used facial expressions under his mask while delivering his lines. He replied that of course he did, that he had to, and to do otherwise would have caused him to fail at his part. Watch him closely as you listen closely, and you may be surprised at how expressive he is. The other actors all comport themselves quiet well (John Hurt is a bit over the top), and propel the plot along nicely. This film combines the best elements of action, intrigue, suspense and pathos. It does go off track a bit in the middle for the sake of filling us in on character background, but I found this tolerable, if not necessary. All in all, 'V for Vendetta' succeeds. See it on the big screen while you can.