To be honest, I had no idea what it was going to be about except that it involved some sort of freedom fighter similar to Neo and pals from the Matrix. I expected ground-breaking special effects and thought-provoking plot and dialog. I was very disappointed in the former, but the latter proved up to task, except that the blatant liberal brainwashing espoused by this movie is an insult to my intelligence. How disappointing that this movie would treat its audience with such little respect.

V is the name of the main character (portrayed by Hugo Weaving who was Agent Smith from The Matrix and Elrond from The Lord of the Rings). V was horribly burned and scarred from a prison explosion that ironically gave him his freedom (if you can call it that as he lives secluded in an underground lair unbeknownst to the British government). The government for its part has regressed to a totalitarian Hitleresque dictatorship in the name of safety. The people are complacent and V finds it his duty to fight for the freedom of a timid populous by blowing up buildings and assassinating those who have hurt him in the past in a vicious quest for vengeance, all while hiding behind a Guy Fawkes mask (Guy Fawkes was a 17th-century British terrorist, responsible for the gunpowder plot). A couple of detectives (Stephen Rea and Stephen Frey, pictured above) are placed on the manhunt for this V terrorist but soon discover many things about their own government that they had not known. And herein lies the liberal irrationality: that Bush and Blair's governments would turn into the very oppressive regimes that they have eliminated in Iraq and Afghanistan, that the people would put up with it, and that terrorism is the way to freedom, peace, and stability.

What is truly fascinating is that there is very little difference between V and the institution against which he fights. That is why for much of the film I fully expected to find that V and the Chancellor (the film's Hitler, basically, played by John Hurt) were one and the same. The Chancellor lies hidden and protected underground. So does V. The Chancellor twists the truth to justify his evil actions. So does V. The Chancellor tortures and murders those who oppose him. So does V. This duality is certainly intriguing.

It turns out that this is quite a left-wing, jihadist-type movie. What is the message of this movie? That violence begets violence? That violence and terrorism are justified as long as it is directed towards giant governments that you don't agree with? That's quite redeeming. I can see al Quaeda using this as a recruiting video.

Perhaps I missed the point. Perhaps the whole point is to turn everything upside down and to show what things might be like in "opposite land." I don't know.

I'm not saying that this movie isn't worth seeing, because it is. I'm just saying that I was a bit taken aback. With that said, this movie is worth seeing mainly because it gets you to think. It isn't all that spectacular visually or special-effects-wise. Most of the film is set in small, confined rooms and the fight scenes are shot primarily in slow motion. But the story is intriguing because it forces judgement on whether or not V's actions are justified. It allows us to consider what life would be like if the government controlled everything (a disaster obviously, which ironically should make us all right-wing conservatives fighting for small government and individuality). And it also allows us to appreciate the freedoms that we do enjoy today and consider what we might do to earn or to keep them.

I also have much praise for the dialog in this movie. Our first encounter with V shows us that this is not only a bizarre-looking fellow, but a superbly articulate vigilante. His opening montage is very hard to follow, especially without the benefit of reading lips (a feature which probably made Mr. Weaving's performance a bit simpler by being able to read this tongue twister in a sound booth). With the magic of the Internet, I found it and offer it here:

Voilą! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-ą-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

Obviously, the Wachowski brothers had the benefit of a thesaurus (two can play at that game...check out my alliterative comments at the end of this review). Here's a translation:

Hi there! You can plainly see that I am dressed up and playing a part as in a play. My character could be considered good or bad based on changes in society. My mask is not just to make me look better than I am by hiding my grotesque face, but is reminiscent of what was once the voice of the people and of truth. This mask is now a heroic symbol to be revered even though the original Guy Fawkes was considered evil. This mask, or symbol, is now full of life and has determined to fight against the real bad guys who are our evil leaders and who are allowing their evil soldiers to take away our rights and free will. In light of this, my conclusion is to oppose them by taking revenge. It is my solemn vow to wage this bloody battle which has real meaning because I will tell the truth and the truth will justify my cause, setting free those who are attentive, aware, and not morally corrupt. Granted my wordiness is a bit much for your first encounter with me, and so it is my very good honor to meet you, and by the way, my name is V. What's yours?

Somehow there is something appealing about a villain who is suave and sophisticated. A villain who does not yell, get red in the face with rage, and fire bits of spit with each utterance. Instead, when we see the character who does that, the Chancellor, we are forced to proclaim V as the hero. After all, isn't V more like us somehow? Isn't he the one who loves the 1812 Overture and the Chancellor the one who outlaws it? We even see him with a freaking apron on cooking in the kitchen! But is he the hero? Can we root for someone who blows up buildings, who straps a bomb to his chest to commandeer a news station, and who tortures his only friend? The movie seems to say "Yes." Personally, I disagree but therein lies the true value of V for Vendetta...that you can argue about it with your friends.

But I do have to raise a couple of eyebrows, and not just because V's frozen expression prevents him from doing so. How does V ever survive in the first place? Through flashbacks, we see him emerge from a blazing inferno, body horribly burnt and scarred and as one of his later prey points out, "he had no eyes." That's right, his eyes were basically charred to oblivion. So someone please tell me how this guy escapes the ruthless government after him, finds some medical facilities to recuperate, finds an opulent, underground fortress in which to live complete with electricity and running water yet completely hidden from society, and finds food, clothing, and every amenity one could hope for. But most troublesome to me is how he can see with that mask on, let alone not having any eyeballs. How could he possibly have any peripheral vision and be able to take on ten people at a time? How does he not fall onto his back when he is shot by not just one, but hundreds of bullets? The force of a single bullet alone would leave one lying prostrate on the ground even if protected by a vest. And finally, if there are 10 guys shooting you, you might be able to take 1 or 2 out with a sai but you'd think one of those guys might expect what's coming and avoid getting their throat slashed. This is where the comic-book aspect of the film comes in, having us believe that he somehow mutated into a super terrorist.

On the other hand, this movie does sport Natalie Portman, who is extremely hot. She has proven to be hot in other films, but in this movie she takes things to the next level by proving that she is hot even with her head shaved. She also does a great job at providing the emotion for the film. V is always calm, cool, collected, and creepy I must say. There is very little emotion from him, but Portman's character, Evey, is a very effective emotional conduit.

However, when Evey puckers up for V towards the end of the film, it creates the most absurd on-screen kiss of all time. Natalie Portman debases herself and makes out with a porcelain mask. Ludicrous! I just hope she got paid a lot of money for that because it is going to be made fun of for years to come. I am 100% positive that it will make its way to the MTV Awards because they always have a kiss category. Not only that, but what message does it send? I can see ugly guys everywhere wanting to start wearing masks, kidnapping beautiful women, and then torturing them until they fall madly in love and want to make out. Well I've got news for you fellas, it doesn't work (believe me, I should know).

And now for something completely different. How many times did they use the word bollocks in this movie? I'd say about 25. Bollocks means balls in England (as in testicles). Being that I was at the time not very familiar with the term, it just seemed quite silly. You know what, it still does!

Finally, just a quirky observation. I found it interesting that the graffiti symbol used for the V movement was a "V" with a circle around it instead of simply a "V." I know the reason for this, do you? There was a very popular sci-fi TV show and mini-series in the early 80's called V. In this show the V was for Victory (instead of Vendetta) but the themes were very similar. In the TV show, they were fighting for freedom of humanity from the oppressive rule of aliens who wanted to eat them for food. However, the similarities abound, for the aliens duped the public into granting their Nazi-like power and control for their "protection." In any case, in the TV show, V, the graffiti symbol used was a simple, spray-painted "V" forcing the makers of this movie to use something different.

A vicious invective vilifying the values and virtues of vitality whilst vindicating violence. A pompous pummeling of principle-based propriety promulgating pugnacity and pernicious plague. A premise perverted by the pretense of probity, it produces perdition. Despite its deception and my derision, I do declare it demands discussion and therefore I say to you, "Do view V for Vendetta."