"...violence can be used for good...justice..."

Rating: 9/10 (1 September 2006)

That single line tells you all you need to know about the mindset of the title character, V (Hugo Weaving), who uses violence to get back at those who wronged him and his native England. But it isn't just simple, mindless violence that the masked terrorist uses to avenge his injustices; no, he uses a calculating form of destruction specifically designed to punish those responsible. And the results are both horrifying and gratifying at the same time.
We are introduced to V through Evey Hammond (Portman), an employee at the government-run news channel BTN. She is out after the imposed curfew and finds herself being detained by agents of the High Chancellor (John Hurt) called Finger agents. As they threaten to rape her, the masked figure emerges from the shadows and promptly slices up the men in order to save the girl. But rather than leave her there he takes her to his "lair", a plush retreat he calls the Shadow Gallery. Once there he reveals his intentions to Evey by showing her the fruits of his labor: the demolition of a downtown landmark and subsequent spread of panic and fear throughout London. "People should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people" V tells her with voice that both comforts and chills. "Are you going to kill more people"? "Yes" he answers flatly, and THAT line alone could win Weaving an Oscar- I still have chills down my spine from his heartless nonchalance regarding human life.
But as the tale unfolds we learn that it's not the lives of ordinary citizens that V is planning to terminate, but those of a select group of government leaders and influential community members. Why is the man in the Guy Fawkes mask vowing to carry out what British freedom fighter Fawkes and his co-conspirators could not do in 1605- bring down Parliament? Because those inside are responsible for the condition that V is currently in, burned and barely human, but determined to settle the score with those responsible. "I've not come for what you'd hoped to do, I've come for what you've done" he tells one of his victims as she pleads for mercy."Are you going to kill me now"? she asks. "I killed you 10 minutes ago" he tells her. As his reign of revenge renders hypocritical higher-ups in pools of poison-filled puke, Evey is both mortified and mesmerized by the mysterious masked madman. And so was I.
A police officer, Chief Inspector Dietrich (Rea) has been trying to solve the case of who the man behind the mask is but every time he digs deeper into the past he is reminded to look away, or else. Still he continues to piece together the puzzle, and what he discovers puts the exploits of the terrorist in new light- V may have a just cause for his vendetta after all. The men in charge of the country are not the people they appear to be, but they are responsible for the state that their nation is in. On the 5th of November, the day that Fawkes is celebrated and one year after his reign of terror began, V will go out with a bang, bringing down Parliament and all of its' corrupt members. Or will it be his beautiful muse who lights the fuse?
Much has been said about this film glamorizing terrorism and demeaning government. After all, the central character is a debonair terrorist and the totalitarian government is portrayed as a controlling,corrupt, power-hungry entity. But I don't believe that the talented director, James McTiegue, nor the creator of the graphic novel the story is based on, Alan Moore, intended it to be seen in that light. It is what it is-a fun, fascinating, thought-provoking story that is like nothing ever seen before on film. It has been said to contain elements of everything from "Batman" to "Phantom of the Opera", but V FOR VENDETTA is a singular masterpiece that strips down the elements of today's society and asks us to examine what's inside.
Everything about this film stands out: the acting is top-notch; Weaving, wearing a mask the entire film, should easily earn an Oscar nod for his entrancing portrayal of the chilling villain, and Princess Amidala Portman finally conveyed a range of emotions, proving she's NOT just another (very) pretty face. The music was excellent, from the "1812 Overature" during V's destruction of property, to the golden oldies in his antique jukebox to the perfect closing number, the Stones' "Street Fightin'Man" (listen to the words). And the cinematography was simply amazing; the Wachowski Brothers "Matrix" influence could definitely be felt,especially in the awesome dagger showdown scene near the end. The lighting, colors, shadows and camera angles were all perfect and set the tone for an actual graphic novel come to life, without all the gimmicks of a "Sin City". All in all one of the best films I have seen in a long time and easily one of the best of the year, one that will remain in my head for a long time to come. It did not make me want to embrace terrorism and anarchy- it just made me want to think.