V for Very Fuckin' Awesome!

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

V for Vendetta is a non-stop adrenaline rush! There really isn't any other way to describe it. Action and drama are woven together so artfully that knowing what comes next will always be a surprise. This is a Wachowski production worth remembering (unlike those last two Matrix movies).

I might be a little biased because I had the wonderful opportunity to see this movie on opening night in the IMAX theater, but regardless of the setting this is a movie that everyone should see. It's fun, it's political, it's action-packed, it's everything a good blockbuster should be and a little more.

The story basically follows the machinations of Codename: V. V is a man, hidden behind a Guy Fawkes mask, who is determined to fight the totalitarian government established in a futuristic England. His anarchistic plotting, and subsequent recruitment of Evey (portrayed by a phenomenal Natalie Portman) lead to the eventual and long anticipated destruction of the London Parliament building.

"Remember remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I see no reason why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes
'Twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God's providence, he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip hoorah!"
- Gunpowder Plot Nursery Rhyme

Hugo Weaving is the man behind the mask, and he does an exceptional job. No better actor could have done the job he did in this movie. This is his second piece of work done with the Wachowski's after playing Agent Smith in all three Matrix movies. Not once in the entire movie is his face revealed, and thus he does all his dialogue from either behind the mask or cloaked in shadows. He has truly mastered his craft in that we know his emotions by the conviction in his voice and the gesturing of his body. Like actors in the old amphitheaters of long ago, the mystery and art is not in what you see, but rather in what you don't see. Mr Weaving has also infused his character with the proper balance of intelligence and skill when he is confronted by his enemies. A certain level of humour is also maintained throughout.

"Are you like a crazy person?"
- Natalie Portman as Evey

Having been first a Queen and Senator of the Galactic Federation, the fawning wife of a rebellious Jedi, and the girl who gave birth to a Wal-Mart baby, I never imagined Natalie Portman as the right actress for the role of a revolutionary. But boy did she ever prove me wrong! Natalie displays an initial level of naivete and innocence at first, she then transforms into a hardened soldier in a war that can only be fought through unconventional means. Most poignant in the movie is her time in the torture chambers of the aforementioned government. She is broken and shattered, but manages somehow to pull herself together to become the woman who would later destroy the iconic Parliament building. It's an amazing performance which displays her ability to adapt to any situation.

"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. There is an idea...and ideas are bulletproof."
- Hugo Weaving as V

The story, adapted from Alan Moore's graphic novels, is a tale of anarchy raging against an overbearing and controlling government. One of the main themes is that of symbolism and their impact on a people. This resonates with many other hero/anti-hero characters, like Batman and Superman, and is consistent with stories of this type. V speaks of the Parliament building as more than just a building, he sees it as a symbol of the government. And he's right, there's no mistake about it. Take the Twin Towers for example, targeted because they symbolize the economic grandeur of the United States. That's why they were chosen as the targets of the September 11th bombings. Notice the prominence of dates in these two events. V's statement might as well be "Remember remember the 11th of September."

One thing I wanted to point out that really struck me is that you never see who V really is. Who is the man behind the mask? What does he look like? Is his face burned like his hands? You get a glimpse of his profile, backlit by a fire raging in the background, but you never see the features. And this is probably the best directing choice James McTeigue could have made. Like the original Alien, the art is not in what you see, but rather in what you don't see. Most people disagree with me in thinking that The Blair Witch Project was scary, but to me it was probably one of the most frightening movies of my entire life. The reason for this being that you never actually see anything. You hear plenty, but never really see this supposed "witch." And finally when you get to the end and you're waiting to see what kind of horrifying being she is, the camera is dropped and only screams ensue. Hiding V's face from the camera really strengthens the notion that an idea is more powerful than a single person. By keeping his face in darkness, you find yourself believing that he is the embodiment of his beliefs. He isn't a person, he's an idea, something that carries infinitely more power.

I want to comment briefly on the music used in V for Vendetta. Much of the score adequately underlines the action and drama happening on screen, and it also carries with it some of the darker humour used by the characters (e.g.: Rossini's "William Tell Overture" during the final scene). If you know the Wachowski's and their personalities, then you can really tell from the soundtrack that this is a Wachowski movie.

I highly recommend seeing this movie more than once, because it's just so completely loaded with material that you could never catch it all in a single pass. I know I'll be going back to see it again sometime soon...