good cinema on a very problematic message

Rating: 8/10 (1 September 2006)

'V for Vendetta' is one of the best comics-inspired movies ever made. It succeeds to bring to screen strong characters, yet it is faithful to its comics roots. It has a message, it sticks to it, and it transmits it in a efficient way to the viewer. However this message is disturbing and problematic.
The story happens a few decades from now. The US do not exist any longer, and Britain fell under the grip of a fascist regime, evolved from a Tory party that went wild. One man fights the wrong, lonely but powerful as any of the king of Superman or Spiderman. His goal is no less than to overturn the political system and tumble back the balance of power in favor of the people. The problem is that the Wachovsky brothers (authors of the script) and director James McTeigue are too good in making us believe that the futuristic recent history on screen is a direct continuation of our reality today, and so that what would have normally been the comic hero choreographic deeds may be looked in the light of a manifesto that justifies violence for political reasons.
It's a good cinema experience, and probably the best made entertainment movie done lately. There are many fine touches of British humor, and solid acting, with Natalie Portman giving a superb performance. If you watch it as entertainment, it's fine, but if you fall on the path of thinking to the implications beyond the story you may like it or not, as your political inclinations will start to interfere.