"V for Vendetta"

Rating: 7/10 (15 January 2007)

Having never even picked up the graphic novel this film is based on, let alone read anything by Alan Moore, I was a complete novice when viewing this film. I think that this helps - I know that if I had been a true fan of the book I would have been on here straight away complaining about what the Wachowski brothers had done to it.
As it was, I really enjoyed this film. We are introduced to Natalie Portman's character almost straight away. Her performance is a little dodgy to begin with but towards the middle of the film it really strengthened and I really warmed to her. I think it's because that's when we start to learn more about her past, and then we have the rather long scenes of torture (with a wonderful twist at the end, by the way) in which Portman really needs to show such a mixed bag of emotions. It redeems her for the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy at any rate.
Hugo Weaving is V, the title character - and there you have to take their word for it. You never, ever see V's face - just a Guy Fawkes Mask on a figure clothed entirely in black, reminding some of us of No Face from "Spirited Away". It is difficult to sympathise with V - he truly cares for Evey, and his plans to rid England of John Hurt's Sutler and his Fascist government mean well, but he is at the other end of the spectrum a terrorist and a bit of a madman come to that. This is partly explained with the origins story that every "superhero" film needs, but I still felt uneasy about the character, despite the brilliant performance of Hugo Weaving.
The supporting cast are fantastic, though apart from Stephen Rea's character we could see a bit more of them. Stephen Fry is rather good in a rare dramatic role which ends violently, but John Hurt's villain is more of a cameo performance than anything else, despite been rather ironic considering his past roles (Winston in "1984" has now literally become Big Brother).
Overall the film is really good, though there are a couple of unanswered questions, and the political overtones do rather overshadow the film in this post 9-11 world.
7/10