unreal Orwellian world

Rating: 5/10 (14 September 2013)

In the near future of an alternate Great Britain, freedom fighter V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressive society. He rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from the creepy policemen.
The general state of affairs is too confused early on. Other than the crazed ramblings of a madman, there isn't much explaining. It's all generalities and high minded language. It would help to set aside a small segment to explain this universe a little better at the beginning. They really should have either concentration camps, unending wars, book burnings, or goose stepping. Instead the setting feels like today's world slightly shifted. It's not enough. The thing with George Orwell. He created completely new worlds. There's so much they could have done.
V's voice is distracting. Speaking thru the mask is problematic. It leaves conversation with him cold and distant. It would be better to cut those scenes down. The pacing gets very slow in the middle. The police is chasing him down, but there's never a close call. It grinds down as they slowly reveal the history. It's way too slow, way too late. They should have done this earlier, in a shorter prelude section. This is what the 1st act is for. And if this is such a police state with control of the media, how the heck did that program get on the air in the first place? If Evey's torture is all V's doing, how much of the stories we're shown can be believed? Or are they created to convert Evey?