V is the new A

Rating: 9/10 (22 March 2006)

"People shouldn't be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." This is one of the many taglines surrounding the new futuristic political action film V for Vendetta. Do I truly believe that this saying is true? Yes, to only a certain extent though. In the past, we have seen what can happen if the people fight back. It's ended up in many protests, assassinations, and rebellions. Case in point, V for Vendetta, which is about corrupt governments and one man who changed everything, for the better.
Before being made into a feature film, V for Vendetta was a graphic novel: a very good one at that. Both the book and the film are about the same thing. The story is so good because it stays so faithful to the novels.
The film starts with a good pace, on Novenber the 5th with codename "V" (Hugo Weaving) and Evey (Natalie Portman). There is a curfew in effect and no one is allowed out after a certain time. V saves Evey from a horde of Fingerman (sort of like guards, making sure no one is outside after the curfew). He then takes her to a rooftop to witness the elaborate destruction of the Old Bailey. The government makes the public believe it was a demolition until V interrupts and warns that in a year from that day there will be a rebellion on the government. He tries to influence people to stand up for themselves and not to believe the fascist leader, High Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt). He states this on live TV, so everyone can hear. This leads to two detectives, Finch (Stephen Rea) and Dominic (Rupert Graves) looking for Evey, because she was implicated in the scenario, and may know the whereabouts of V. She hides out with V in his lair until she is ready to leave.
The story continues when Evey is taken by the crooked cops of London and is kept in a room while being tortured into saying the location of V. This takes place while V hunts down the three people that tested on him and many others a number of years ago in a detention center. This all leads up to an explosive and breathtaking ending that you need to see for yourself on the big screen.
The story and writing are fantastic. It moves at a good pace. There's just one point in the middle where the story seems to hit a dead end. The first half sets up an astonishing second half, where most of the action sequences take place and the best shots are. The character development is there for sure. All the characters are certain people at the start, and change ever so slowly into stronger people.
Natalie Portman is an absolute jewel, and she shows off her ability charismatically. She has shown us her talent in comedies and dramas. Her performance had excellent written all over it. Hugo Weaving is a fast talking marvel. His mask does not stop him from expressing his feeling. He conveys anger, sadness and happiness with only his voice, which is hard. Stephen Rea is also very credible. He portrays a man faithful in his government and becomes a skeptic to the corruption. Less can be said about John Hurt, who just seems to like yelling a lot on a big screen; like an older, angrier Hitler.
Matrix directors Andy and Larry Wachowski create truly spectacular action sequences. The best thing they achieve is making the trails in the air of the daggers, used by V. It adds a great effect.
Like in the magnificent movie Sin City, V for Vendetta looks like a comic book. The set design is picturesque. The futuristic London is very fun to look at. It doesn't look too high tech or too dreary. It's wonderfully dark and mysterious. The costume design and cinematography are both beautiful. The ending sequences with all the people with V masks, walking down the streets is stunning. The part with the domino's in the shape of a V is also a spectacle to look at.
James McTeigue amazingly directs his first motion picture. He has a particular technique that creates an eye-popping gallery of a future with an ounce of hope. V for Vendetta is one of the most refreshing action films I've seen in a long time. Any enthusiast in the genre should check this out. I'm sure it will amaze you. The future in V for Vendetta may not have been picture perfect but I expect the movie to have an ideal future, with audiences, with critics and with mask wearing maniacs everywhere.