Swashbuckling on steroids

Rating: 9/10 (19 August 2006)

An enjoyable movie, set in a dystopia, where the hero fights for freedom, this movie does justice to the "swashbuckler" genre. It rises above the average movie of the genre, which tend to be a series of disconnected fight-scenes, with a well-integrated and detailed plot and broader themes.
Some who've read the book on which the movie is based have commented that it is anarchistic; the movie does not reflect this. Some who've seen the movie have criticized the negative portrayal of government; but, compared to the typical "military-industrial complex" villains, this movie does a pretty good job of depicting a religious-fascist gang that takes control of a country by playing on fear.
The political theme of the movie is that people can rise up an make a difference, instead of taking their oppression lying down; but there's a more subtle theme played out in the sub-plot: that life is not just staying alive at any cost. A human being can reach a point where he will rebel rather than being a slave, even at the risk of death.