This is Cinematic Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2006)

I think I've seen this movie about 7 times; and each time, it continues to get better and better. Some would say this is a parable about the Bush administration, but you have to realize that the comic and the screenplay were written well before the year 2000, so there's little chance that it's a direct attack on American politics. It is more of a movie that shows that a revolution can still happen in today's countries, even in established governments who suppress their people. As V himself said, "People shouldn't be afraid of their governments, but rather governments should be afraid of their people".
All politics out of the way, the movie itself is absolutely superb. The casting itself is a masterpiece; each actor was in his/her right place. John Hurt was a fitting dictator, spouting his angry drivel from a massive TV screen (made it all the more fun to see him crying in the end, a true coward dictator, even his name 'sutler', is supposed to mimic 'hitler'). V himself was acted by a very capable Hugo Weaving, and did very well for someone who spent his whole movie behind a mask. Natalie Portman played the innocent 'Mercedes' character (there are many parallels between this movie and the novel, the Count of Monte Cristo).
Even though this is an action/thriller movie, it makes the audience think, and it doesn't try to explain itself too much, or else it would be a 4 hour movie. Much of the movie is left up to the audience's imagination, such as the virus that is used at Larkhill, V's identity, or what will happen to Britain after V succeeds in blowing up Parliment. Movies like this hope that the audience has half the brain to reason through parts on their own, and it's nice to watch a movie that gives you something to think about even after it's over.
Overall, I recommend that everyone see this movie, so that you can form your own opinion on it, and it will most likely be a good one at that. The movie isn't as political as everyone makes it seem, and can be applied to any administration or regime. The movie calls V a terrorist, but a more correct term would be a revolutionary, since his intentions aren't to terrorize, but to get revenge on those who made him as he is, and to awaken the people out of their fear. I guess that makes him the exact opposite of a terrorist.
*********/10 (Minus one star for overuse of the word "bollocks")