give this one a 10.

Rating: Null/10 (18 March 2006)

Go ahead, Hugo is nothing less than spectacular. Would have been nice to see the charred face of our hero but I wasn't necessarily looking for a chop shop slasher film; V has scruples. There is more than enough blood and guts, mixed in with a really well thought and believable story line, for this movie to allow anyone to be horrified and mesmerized by our poetic and heroic vigilante. Lots of mention of classic poets, stories, and music. Story plot is not hard to follow after a sit to understand all the flashbacks that whoever directed this flick did a great job with, too. V's words and narration are only hard to follow at first because of his introduction into war torn england. But the guy is a friend under his mask. Move over Batman since you can't handle true politics even With all your money, V is a political romantic and no sissy. You were never tortured Batman, only your mind is tortured so get some meds as you watch V.
Since V knows that mystery, moving your home to unknown whereabouts, and a mask are his great allies; it is highly possible that this film could spawn one or two spin-offs. Hugo and Wachowski could make them believable, too. England is not the only culture in need of a whupin.
This film is taken from a Vertigo/DC comic that I have never read but I am now considering reading the comic. You always hear the book is better than the movie, but since I haven't read the comic itself ... we'll have to wait and see. Hell, I might even buy the mask and egg / wrap some government buildings. That chick from the last three Star Wars films is in it, I got mildly turned on when she is tortured (no rape but I always enjoy seeing untouchable actresses and actors get hurt). I didn't completely understand what exact word V was looking for when she and he were discussing her torture afterward - and then she walks into the rain, but V is following his script to the letter here. This film is not for any female who doesn't kick ass, gets nervous, and who have appreciation for the weaker things in life. I will not take my ball and chain with me if I see this film again.
Best scene is when he is walking from his torture cell and screaming out; the words 'screaming out' do not explain the emotion captured in the film in this particular scene. Did the guy have eyes? It wouldn't surprise me one bit if citizens of the United States dawn masks and start taking down their totalitarian government right now - but we all know that's not going to happen since it would take a person as fu**ed up, mean, charismatic, put together and just as willing to die and take the fall for everyone as the hero was in this film. Now, go watch Hugo kick your ass just like he did in the Matrix films, only this time when he seemingly dies you'll bloody cry like you did NOT when Keanu died in that horrible third film after Hugo enters him after a great pounding. If you're not political in the sense that you care about what happens to your controversial government or your 'fellow man' this movie will at least make you think of the kind of person in classic england that make of any government what it will be.
V has a lot to say after years of torture and near death. I need a little more time for analyzing the twists in the plot. The movie theater was packed when I went in, a lot of apes and blonds were there so I was kinda sucked in to their sniffling and punching and blankedness and grunting stupidity toward the film; this film needs less film goers around you to analyze its deeper meanings but the film is really great if you want full on action with lots of great fights and explosions and happy and pretty and smiley characters to watch the pretty colors; and too many people watching the large television that keeps your attention the whole way through. That mask is just awesome, too. The guy from Citizen X (Stephen Rea. Go watch Citizen X as soon as you can) was in it; he makes a psychologically excellent detective. With all the pressure his character is under during V he doesn't have a breakdown. V coulda rescued his poor patsy and it would have been Sutherland assisting all over again but V is no caretaker if he can help it; its the girl who is in need of rescuing in this film. You'll see what I mean when you watch Citizen X, Rea doesn't always have breakdowns in other films of his. Citizen X is just a really good fill and based on true events, too. Rea is a great actor. He's explosive, watch for his subtleties, and a great supporting actor here.
After you watch V, go see '16 Blocks'. You will leave the theater property feeling as if our world has some good and more than one-sided people who actually give a couple of s*its about law and government locally and nationally. Nah, the film is not worth analyzing what government is all about, there's a lot to go on otherwise but I think you can take these chancellor and grunt character's roles the same as you would anyone in your own government; most all government officials are just as shallow and lead on by scripts as any one of them in this film is. Government should be afraid of its people, not the other way around. This film has lots of great one liners that you can use to explain your sorry government.
Thanks, V.