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Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2010)

V for Vendetta really shot itself in the foot. It was advertised as a "comic-book" adaptation with action!, adventure!, sword-fights! And yet you will get 95% of the action the previews show in the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes of the film. The rest isjustplain dialogue.
So, if you're looking for a typical, Hollywood/Comicbook/Superhero action movie with a mask vigilante who prefers snappy comebacks and swords over bullets, look further. Rent Batman Begins. You won't be disappointed and you'll be satisfied with your childhood fantasies coming true.
Butif you want an amazing and adult "comicbook film," and a thought-provoking, wonderfully paced movie with extremely rich dialogue, character development and suspenseful intrigue, you can't do wrong with this excellent film.
It's the future! And the grand ole U.S. of A. is no more. Leave it to England to rise above with a new dictatorship hell-bent on keeping people heaven-bound with "good" messages and bad symbols underground. This doesn't sit well with 'V' (Weaving) who wants to model his fate with events centuries old. In other words, he wants to blow up the Parliament – on the (Remember, Remember) "the fifth of November." Make that, he wants to do it next year. This yearhe has plans.
And the plot thickens. Why is he doing this? Why is he waiting a year? Why doesn't he ever take off that mask? And why does he bother with Evey (Portman)? You knowI'm gonna stop here. I've given possible 1/5 of the plot synopsis away. Watch this wonderful movie and discover the rest of the storyline for yourself. Now, let me compliment the rest of the efforts from those involved.
Let me begin by saying I am NOT a Natalie Portman fan. At all. She was wretched in the Star Wars prequels. She was unbearable in that Wal-Mart Baby movie. (I'm so uninterested in her, I won't even look up the title of that one.) And yet, I did think she fared well in The Professional, but she wasn't what made that movie. Hereshe did a good job. Not excellent, but finallywatchable. She did what she needed to do, she showed emotion when she had to. The shaved head/G.I. Jane/Alien3 look was needed for the plot and yet, she barely stood out in the movie. Who really shined was a personal favorite: Hugo Weaving.
I understand, you can't see him in this movie; his role might as well have been animated, butthat voice. His voice was mesmerizing. I've been a fan of his since The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and the first Matrix. But, unlike a lot of animated features, his voice carries the movie; his dialogue rich and serene. No one could've filled the 'V' mask as he did.
When the action's hot, it's great. When the dialogue is rich, it's splendid. When the intrigue is on, it's interesting. You have an above-human character, one I love in almost any medium: the superhuman-human. And as devoted as he is to his cause, he's still human. They show plenty of examples, but mostly in Portman's Evey.
There's so much to love in this movie – namely the originality, message and dialogue. It's worth a viewing and it's definitely worth a second shot. Of course, a lot of the "surprises" or "twists" are gone in your second plus screening, it's thoroughly wonderful to fully pay attention to what they're trying to portray or say in their directive.
I'm sure I left out all I wanted to say or convey in regards to this awesome experience, but I must say: Give this a shot. Know that it's not all action, despite the fantastically choreographed action-packed introduction. Know that this very well could (and might) happen. Let's just hope there is a human being that's smart enough, strong enough and determined enough to show us we're not just cattle.
Side Note: Listen to the dialogue. Rewatch the film and really listen to it. "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." And always "Remember, remember, the fifth of November." Side Note 2: (Spoiler Alert) I am thoroughly glad that, despite this being a "Comicbook" adapted movie, it was NOT left open for a sequel. Not that, in most cases, that's a bad thing (I loved The Dark Knight, for example) but it's nice, for once, to have a complete movie/story on your hands. And just merely the trailers for this feature indicate a series or franchise. Thank God, they sealed the deal with just this one wonderful movie.
Side Note 3: I recently recommended this film after watching a second time to a friend of mine. Not only am I pleased he liked it, he loved it. It's now in his top 3 of all time. I look forward to his comments on my site. With his enthusiasm, I might have to watch this a third time, sooner than it took me to watch it a second time – several years.