People should not be afraid of their government, government should be afraid of it's people.

If you read my review of The Anarchist Cookbook, you could probably guess I gave this movie a big thumbs up. I, of course, love this movie because of the strongly anti-right wing message therein, but also because it's got a great story and beautiful visuals. Now, some might say the political message in this is a little biased and heavy handed, but the same could be said about Citizen Kane, which was about William Randolph Hearst. The only people who complain about blatant politicism in a movie are people who either disagree with the movie's message, or don't like to be made to think, which this movie certainly does.

The direction in this movie is amazing. Not actually the Wachowski Bros, but one of their proteges, created some stunning images, like the political rallies depicted in the Chancellor's rise to power, and of course the fight scenes, which, towards the end, do start to get a little Matrixy. The screenwriting is also masterful, taking a political message from the early 80s, and applying it to today's world, without seeming like somebody filled in the blanks. The part about V's neighbor, a homosexual woman who lost her lover to the secret police, then ended up in a medical lab, is very sad. Seriously, if it doesn't affect you, you have ice water in your veins(or you're a homophobe, which is basically the same thing).

The actors in this give great performances all around. Hugo Weaving is both powerful and whimsical as the masked vigilante out for revenge against an oppressive police state which used him to kill thousands of people, then left him a disfigured shell of a man. Natalie Portman is great as the ordinary office girl who ends up, quite by accident, as V's at first unwilling, then eager partner, once he teaches her what it means to have no fear. John Hurt is frightening as the Chancellor, a power mad beast with neither regard nor respect for any human life other than his own. And then there's Stephen Fry, as a TV host who's dating Evey, only to hide the truth about his lifestyle. Not to give too much away, but you do end up feeling sorry for him.

All around, this is a great movie, and, if you're like me, there are a few moments where you'll be going YEAH! and making the power fist. Of course, if you find the politics of this movie a little dicey, there's always The Anarchist Cookbook.