V for Vendetta

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

It's probably too early to start talking about the best movies of 2006, but by the end of the year, people will still be talking about the brilliant and incendiary V for Vendetta. Adapted from the groundbreaking graphic novel, and coproduced by the erratic Wachowski brothers, this movie almost redeems them from those terrible Matrix sequels. Matrix assistant director James McTeigue makes his big-screen debut, bringing an urgency, purpose, and originality that sets the screen on fire. Set in futuristic Britain, a masked man named V (Hugo Weaving) is determined to get his revenge on the corrupt, totalitarian government, and enlists the help of an unwitting girl (Natalie Portman, proving bald is not only beautiful, but hot, too). With its clear references to the post-9/11 political climate and rampant fears of terrorism, V will make some people piss their pants—and rightly so. Balancing complex political themes with breakneck action and suspense, V has the kind of long-lasting relevance that these kinds of flashy comic book movies tend to lack. Here's to the Wachowskis and McTeigue for having the balls to make us think while we munch our popcorn.