Film Review

The fact that the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix Trilogy) had a hand in this film should have clued us in to its subversive nature, but somehow this film has slipped in under the radar. It?s not a dud at the box office, but it certainly doesn?t seem to be drawing public fervor and box office madness, which is a great pity because V is simply a stunning piece of subversive and provocative filmmaking.

Set in Britain, in the not-too distant future, under the rule of a fascist government that uses the media and religion to control and manipulate to populace. People disappear, curfews are in constant effect and fear rules the streets. Then one night a hero appears?a strange figure in a mask that makes him look like Guy Fawlkes. The film in many ways is an exploration of what the emotional and psychic might be that drive someone to blow up government buildings?a provocative idea given the times in which we live. The film has already seen its release delayed in Britain because of the tube bombings.

V for Vendetta is a film that is designed to make the viewer uneasy and it works, really well. The visual and aesthetic effects are wonderful, the music a seminal contribution, and the story?well it is the stuff of graduate degrees?all wrapped up in a thriller of a film?put on a mask and go and see it.