V for Vendetta Review

Movie of the year. If that isn't a way to start off a great movie review, I don't know what is. I went in to V for Vendetta knowing the film was set in a not too distant future Britian and that people would rebel against the government, but I wasn't prepared for how engrossing and properly thematic the film truly is.

V for Vendetta tells the story of Evey (Natalie Portman), who resides in Britian which is now under the control of a totalitarian government. The British government, and its control over the media and everything the people see and hear, reminds me very much of a facist, Nazi styled regime. Curfews are in effect, people's homes are constantly monitored by government agents, all religions save Christianity are illegal, etc. Evey is caught breaking curfew by government agents and is rescued by V (Hugo Weaving), a masked man intent on starting a revolution to free the people. Through V, Evey learns more about herself, her beliefs, and her hope for freedom than she every thought possible.

The timing of this film could not be better. In a world where America constantly partakes in "wars on terror," where violence, insecurity, and fear are a constant part of mainstream life, V for Vendetta takes a look at what the end result of this destructive and decadent path could be (And yes, decadent is a most appropriate term if you think about it). It is a film that, should you have the slightest care about current and global political events, you will find a lot of substance within. V for Vendetta embodies a lot of the current feelings of mid-20 somethings today, such as dissatisfaction with society, with the powers that be, and with life in general, something I most certainly can relate to. Without giving it away, how Britian came to be under the control of its totalitarian government is something I find quite ironic, and also quite sad because it is something that could very well happen in any modern first-world nation given time. In fact, the setting very much reminds me of City 17 from Half-Life 2 save that the story of this film doesn't actual end up sucking.

V for Vendetta is a movie of such substance and thought. Take V himself, for example. He is a character who truly believes in what he's fighting for. He is violent, resorts to extremes and terrorist methods, but is compasionte, rational, and extremely intelligent. He will kill to do what he must, but always with purpose, always with reason. He is such an intriguing character, such a strong ideal that you can't help but feel for him, and believe with him.

If you haven't already, go see V for Vendetta. If you believe strongly that the world now is not as it should be, go see V for Vendetta. The film will make you think, and make you wonder how truthful its look at the future may be.