Powerful, beautiful, disturbing, rousing--a 10 all the way.

Rating: 10/10 (2 August 2006)

Occasionally, a movie is released that is far beyond the scope of most others--a movie that affects and haunts for days, weeks, months after the initial viewing. For me, "V for Vendetta" is one of those films.
It has received much criticism from all sides: ardent fans of the graphic novel are outraged at the plot modifications made for the film adaptation; some claim that the movie's ideas are too abrasive, while others protest that the filmmakers took the easy way out and didn't exploit the graphic novel's themes to their greatest capacity. But in my opinion, while all these points are valid to some extent, their bearers are missing the point.
When I first saw "V," I was immediately and profoundly struck by the beauty of the imagery. The film was beautifully shot--the desolate gray of oppressed London contrasted with the lush reds and earth tones of the eclectic Shadow Gallery being one such example. Simplistic, yes...but effective. The obvious parallels between V's and Evey's dual personal journeys and discoveries were also very effectively portrayed on-screen.
The action scenes (in the alley, at Jordan Tower, at Victoria Station) were stylish and slick. Some complain that they are unnecessarily flashy and too similar to fight scenes from "The Matrix" films, but we ARE talking about the Wachowski brothers here, so I'm not sure what else they were expecting. I found these scenes to be excitedly choreographed and riveting.
Acting from all participants is superb. Natalie Portman is excellent as Evey Hammond, despite the fact that I thought her accent to be a bit inconsistent. Then again, this was not so great an error as to subtract from my viewing experience. The character of Evey is at first naive and quite commonplace, and Portman rather skillfully portrays her transformation from a frightened citizen to the protégé of a revolutionary. Stephen Rea as Inspector Finch is also excellent--we can see the weight of the world on his shoulders and in his sad eyes; we can feel and sympathize with the unfortunate circumstance of being the good cop in a bad world. Through both him and Evey, we can witness the transpiring events in a very human, personal way.
The most outstanding performance, however, goes without a doubt to Hugo Weaving as V, the brooding, brilliant, and rather mad anti-hero. Even though he remains behind the restrictive black clothing and rigid mask for the duration of the film, Weaving manages to imbue his character with more charisma and tragic bravado than one could imagine. I was completely entranced by his performance, torn between revulsion of his characters' vengeful acts and incredible pity for the severe injustices dealt him; Weaving portrays both sides of V with conviction. The cautious, fractured relationship between V and Evey is handled delicately and with much discretion. It is painful and skewed and unpleasant, but is at times laced with such heartbreaking tenderness that you can't help but ache for what might have been.
Dario Marianelli (Pride & Prejudice - 2005, The Brothers Grimm) composed an exemplary score that, in my opinion, is nearly as powerful as the film itself. There are not any over-the-top and intricate themes and perhaps only two true action cues, but the subtleties, the nuances of the album are staggering and poignant. A tender theme for Evey first appears in "Evey's Story": simple and heartbroken. A rousing four-chord progression is first heard in "Governments...People" and builds to ecstatic heights in "Evey Reborn"--a theme for V, a secondary theme for Evey, a theme for the revolution itself? Perhaps all three. It is a raw and cautious and dark score--the tender piano in "Valerie" and the aforementioned progression in "Evey Reborn"--almost desperate in its urgency--never cease to send shivers through me.
Yes, in adapting the graphic novel to film, plots were omitted and characters were modified. People should keep in mind, however, that the graphic novel and the film are meant to be two different things, and should be enjoyed as such. Yes, the topics discussed and explored can be unpleasant; however, this should stop no one from enjoying what is essentially a film that speaks boldly about battling one's inner demons and cherishing the beauty in the world; about hope, justice, courage, fear, and perhaps most importantly, love.
Quite simply...don't miss this film. If I could give it an 11, I would.