For the lowest common denominator

Rating: 4/10 (16 April 2006)

Being a fan of the comic, I was greatly disappointed in what the Wachowski Bros. did to the story. Not much of the original is intact other than the basic plot. Subtle hints to V's identity are now blatant signs, and the almost hidden love story is now a sappy romance novel and the dark, gritty aesthetic of the comic is now slick, glossy Matrix-styled Hollywood. Even if you haven't read the comics, this movie is lacking in the way it tries to be subversive by hitting you over the head with it's morality. When it begins to become thought-provoking, rather than let you form your own opinion, it blatantly shows you the way. This could have been done in a much more subdued manner, rather than as an action movie with high-end special effects.