V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta is a thought-provoking science fiction film with visuals as dizzyingly stunning and accomplished as in "The Matrix". The comparison is no coincidence, for it is the creators of "The Matrix", the Wachowski brothers, who have written the screenplay for the film, based on Alan Moore's graphic novel. He is presumably the one who has supplied the film's political ideas, a reckoning with fascism and totalitarianism that harks back to George Orwell's "1984". The novel and its film adaptation are a nightmare vision of a totalitarian surveillance society in which freedom of expression is a thing of the past. V for Vendetta depicts the same issue, which is of course highly topical after 9/11, but here you get a good deal more bang for your buck in terms of narrative pace and action sequences.

Evey Hammond is a young woman who is accidentally and reluctantly thrown into the struggle against the fascist regime. The struggle is led by a man, V, who hides behind a mask. By the most inventive means he tries to undermine the dictator's power, and Evey becomes his helper. She is mystified by the enigmatic V, who is driven not only by political conviction but also by a fierce desire for revenge. All those who destroyed his life must pay. V's terrible secret, which only we and Evey learn, creates a moving human drama that helps make V for Vendetta an excellent film.