It could have been a so much more...

Rating: 7/10 (13 September 2006)

Here is a film for modern day, a film that openly discusses the state of government, more so in America than England in my opinion. But the flaws, those ugly flaws that drag it down, ever so slightly but just enough to rip it from the grip of perfection. Lets start with the director who never makes any real commitment to particular style for the film; he seems torn between getting the idea across and making it appealing to a mainstream audience. The script also suffers the same flaws, adding a sense of humour and personality to the main character yet expecting him to be seen as an Idea not a man. It tries to be dark, to be all about the idea, but it also wants to hit the mainstream audience, and yes it does this, and yes it gets the message across, however, it also looses some of its power in doing so. This film is not bold, exciting, and inventive. The ideas are there but it still persists in following the old, going with what has worked before and will work again, the main goal is to make money, and it's this business focus that stops it from being a giant, that stops it from being something truly special. It's through experimentation the Matrix redefined cinema, V for Vendetta is afraid to do so, it's afraid of failure in the mainstream and so it is just another Matrix influenced action film, and a good idea. However it isn't bad, it just doesn't meet its potential. In fact it's rather good; it just feels like it could have been so much more, if only it could resolve its conflicts and truly define itself.