V For Vendetta review

It's never a good sign when those involved disassociate themselves from a film. But Alan Moore, who wrote the 1989 graphic novel on which V For Vendetta was based, chose to have his name removed from the credits. That Moore kept his name attached to the poorly received The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman and From Hell didn't augur well for V For Vendetta. And although by no means a disaster, Moore's misgivings are justified.

With a screenplay by the Wachowski Brothers, V For Vendetta marks the directorial debut of James McTeigue who previously worked with the Brothers as assistant director on the Matrix trilogy. Such a pedigree is enough to suggest the film's futuristic sensibility which is combined with Moore's affinity for delving into history. In this case, it's the four hundred year-old incident of Guy Fawkes and his failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

After an opening showing Fawkes being captured and hung, events switch to 2020 Britain under the totalitarian regime of Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt). But a lone figure V (Hugo Weaving), donning a Guy Fawkes mask and hat, is on a mission to finish the job Fawkes failed to. The inspiration for Moore's original story, which has been greatly simplified, was Thatcher's iron rule, but in its reinterpretation, closer parallels are drawn to Bush's leadership.

V For Vendetta is way too heavy handed in its political doctrines to effectively make its point. Too many long -winded speeches full of rhetoric but little substance stifle the momentum. Added to which is the problem of identifying and connecting with a leading character concealed behind a mask. V finds an ally for his cause in the elfin figure of Evey (Natalie Portman) who he rescues from impending rape at the hands of a group of Fingermen, a quasi-police unit used to impose the curfew.

V establishes his intentions by first blowing up the Old Bailey and then hijacking the national television network to urge the public to unite with him on his treasonous cause against their government. He vows that in one year, on the anniversary of Fawkes' plot, he will destroy the Houses of Parliament. In the interim, he pursues a vengeful spree, murdering all those who have personally wronged him. Amongst those endeavouring to capture him before he carries out his mission are two policeman, Finch (Stephen Rea) and Dominic (Rupert Graves).

Portman seems too fragile in the role of the rebellious Evey, while her wavering British accent is at times a distraction. In her defense, having to spout such clunky dialogue as, "I maced a detective, what was I thinking?" doesn't help. Behind V For Vendetta is an intriguing idea, but one that needed a defter touch and more panache to pull off.

Kevin Murphy