V for Vindictive?

Rating: 7/10 (9 October 2007)

What happens when the politics of a movie overpower what is otherwise a moving, relevant, and even (at times) beautiful message?
Everyone tries SO hard here...Portman becomes wonderfully cockney, Weaving emotes mystery and power with every gesture and head tilt, and Hurt channels Hitler and any other tyrannical dictator with a frightening authenticity and ferocity--this film shares with us by far the best performances of their careers. Technically speaking, "V" is better made than any other film in the past 3 years, and much, much better than other Wachowski/Silver collaborations (read: the Matrix trilogy). Throw in what is a perfectly twisted plot, and what we SHOULD have is a movie catapulted to every top 10 list for the next 20 years, right?
Well...not so much. You see, intolerance of the intolerant is very dangerous, especially when the filmgoing public wants to be entertained, not indoctrinated. Buried beneath the faux message of love and acceptance, behind the flashy special effects, Panavision gloom, and the painful smile of a ghastly Guy Fawkes mask is a hatred more malignant than anything Hollywood or comic books could ever dream up. This film teaches that learning to hate is how we learn to love, that vengeance is the only way to achieve justice, that fear of anything--including God--is akin to torture. Democracy begets war, Christianity begets terrorism, and freedom may only be found through Anarchy in the world according to V.
One question: is that a world where you want to live?