What's so brilliant about Vendetta is that even though it takes place in this vague future, the resemblance to today's worldwide politics is captivating

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2007)

"Remember, remember the 5th of November. The gunpowder, treason, and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot"  (Hugo Weaving as V, the masked freedom fighter from V for Vendetta).
If a person has the ability to change his own path of life, can one person be strong enough to change the course of an entire nation? And besides, who really calls the shots in our society? Is it the decadent and greedy politicians who think no further then their wallets, or is it the people, that elusive entity that presents the collective and unheard voice of the silent public? V for Vendetta takes place in an apocalyptic and futuristic London, a time where the preservative countries have lost their international powers. Great Britain is now ruled by a minority of corrupt leaders who use totalitarian methods to preserve order in the streets and maintain stability of their administration. However, underneath the surface a resistance is slowly rising. The people, it seems, are getting sick of being tortured and bullied around by the street police, and tired of a system that quiets down any attempt of people who think or act differently to raise their head with pride. All this is about to change.
In comes one of our two main heroes, a masked vigilante out for justice, who stops at nothing in his attempts to reveal the startling truth behind the government's actions to the British public. Known only as V, his main role model is Guy Fawkes, a freedom fighter who tried to bring down King James I of England way back in 1605. V befriends Evey Hammond, a teenage girl whom he saves from some government bullies (the monologue scene where he presents himself to her, relying mostly on nouns beginning with the letter V, is one of the more admirable linguistic scenes I've ever scene). V brings Evey (portrayed by Academy Awards nominee Natalie Portman) into his life, and gives her shelter in his secluded hideaway. Their mentor-student relationship plays a large part in the film, as does the real reason why V never takes off his mask. Obviously, not much can be said without going into spoilers for those who haven't seen the film, but it's a hell of a roller-coaster ride  both emotionally wise and plot wise  and the big payoff in the end gives this film one of the most breathtaking and satisfying conclusions ever to be seen on film.
What's so brilliant about Vendetta is that even though it takes place in this vague future, the resemblance to today's worldwide politics is captivating. It brings up many social dilemmas but ultimately deals with a universal theme almost anyone can relate to  the human spirit and its tendency to prevail, even when it seems that all hope is gone. Granted, V uses terror tactics to get his message out throughout the film, and that may be a tad bit tricky because it may make you agree to these methods under extreme circumstances. However, it manages nevertheless to shout out a strong and important message, one that is timeless at that  that terror, even if institutionalized, can never win against the ultimate weapon: man's deterrence to be free; and that desperate times may require desperate means, even if those should be used only as a doomsday weapon.
Directed by relatively anonymous director James McTeigue, it's the film's writers you really ought to be looking out for. The Wachowski Brothers from The Matrix fame are the true people to commemorate for this fine piece of political and philosophical cinema.