Exciting Flick and Insightful Cautionary Tale

Rating: 9/10 (3 August 2006)

Discount the fact that this is adapted from Alan Moore's wonderful comic, and you'll find a film that retains a lot of the great elements of the source material while combining enough elements in its own right to create a well timed film that is both exciting, and though-provoking.
First off, this is a fun film to watch. It is full of action, suspense, and very interesting characters. V is presented initially as a vigilante, acting against the government with a sort of madness that like our heroine, Evey, we can't decide if he's insane or if he's right. V is a very literate, skilled fighter. Though some may mistake the acting as a bit too much melodrama, Hugo Weaving plays him quite well, capturing the madness, mystique, and the overall marvel of our hero. As Evey, Natalie Portman plays her with initial curiosity and fear and shifts the character as strong and independent over the course of the film. Given the larger than life premise of the film, the believability of the actors is one of the key successes of this film. Rounding out the cast are Stephen Rea, comedian Stephen Fry, and the infallible John Hurt, playing a highly unlikeable High Chancellor.
The subject matter of the film has come under much debate, as V is clearly noting that something is very wrong with the country he and his fellow citizens live in. He chooses to act and encourages others to act against a government that is robbing the country of its freedoms. Though not quite 1984, the film illustrates a government not far removed from some of our fears today. V drops quotes throughout the movie as a sort of warning and foreshadowing about the power the people have over the government. The finale can be seen as an act of just retaliation or an act of terrorism, depending on your viewpoint. The story is told in such a way, that it is, to me, brilliant satire, exhilarating and fun to watch, without being too preachy.
That the source material is almost 20 years old and that the themes in the story are even more timed today illustrates the brilliance of the story. But this is also a fun film to watch. There are fun action scenes throughout this film, including some great knife play by V and a very chilling third act. Intelligent, and fun, the film is a cautionary tale timed very well in these troubled times.