Not your ordinary graphic novel adaptation

Rating: 9/10 (26 August 2006)

It could also be argued that this is also not your ordinary political dystopian nightmare,too. But this film is a merging of both film styles,which is why it's unique.
Set in London,England in the undisclosed future(I believe they aimed for about 2015 or 2020),the world's economic and military power has somehow shifted. A "great war"that the U.S. started in the past has set into motion various smaller wars and various plagues has weakened America and shifted the balance of power to a new,neo-fascist England.This government is lorded by a choice few cabinet members and the face of the government is represented and headed by one Adam Sutler(John Hurt,once the watched by Big Brother,now doing the watching so to speak),the Lord Chancellor.
The rest of the country seems the same:people still go off to their office jobs,kids to school,people drinking their troubles away at the pubs. Everyone seems to be in front of their television sets. But the news and entertainment seem to be all tilted toward the state,with varying degrees of nationalistic froth. Also,the streets of the city are empty at night,due to state-wide curfew and bands of deputized thugs who prowl the area to detain and punish miscreants.
Through this setting swoops in V(an athletic Hugo Weaving,who could effectively hide in any crowd due to his work here,as well as the Matrix and LOTR films)who rescues vulnerable and pretty young television P.O. Evie(Natalie Portman,sexy,smart AND sympathetic). From there,V takes the girl under his wing and opens her up to his world(and in essence,to her own).
From there,V exacts his revenge on various members of government,past and present,all toward his ultimate piece-de-resistance:a Guy FAwkes day demolition of Big Ben. He is a character who takes to heart the image of Guy Fawkes(for whom the signature mask is modeled)and the ideals and modes of the Count of Monte Cristo to define his motivations,and this fascinates(inevitably)young and seemingly untouched Evie.
Hot on V's trail is a police detective(Stephen Rea,sobering)whose pursuit of the terrorist unveils some nasty truths that he nor his partner would seem to be ready to confront,but may have to just the same.
Plenty of back-story and a variety of character profiles buttress this film,giving it certainly the LOOK of a graphic novel. Director James McTiegue effectively builds a movie out of what appears to be(I haven't gotten more than a cursory look at the graphic novel)a very dense tome. Andy and Larry Warchowski co-wrote the script off David Lloyd's creation,and there DOES seem to be apparent traits of Matrix(i.e. a hostile future full of overlords and plenty of repressive violence). Supporting cast holds up well,particularly Tim Pigot-Smith (as a vile,government loyalist and toady),Sinead Cusack(as a government employed scientist and coroner,who happens to have a conscience),Roger Allan(a bombastic and Nazi-like patriot and propagandist),NAtasha Wightman(as an otherwise faceless prisoner) and Stephen Fry(as a droll and foolhardy talk show host and local celebrity).
This film is,unlike previous g.n. efforts like From Hell,League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,American Splendor(though unlike the previous two,this one seemed to hit better notes than the previous two),a twist of the concept of a sci-fi/action adventure film as a political message in that it seems that the message comes first,the action and dystopic images come in lock-step. Not escapist fare in the least,really,but an intriguing and(I feel)rewarding film all the same.