V for Vendetta

Having yet to see a 2006 release this year (and honestly, not feeling too bad about it), I went into seeing this movie with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. I was excited since the ad campaign for this film was one of the best i've seen in quite some time. I was trepadatious because very few films over the last six months to a year have done much for me. So it was great to walk out of the theater and feeling like I saw something special.

For starters, those who know me know my affinity for Natalie Portman. She did not dissappoint and served as emotional catalyst for most of the film. She also pulled over the shaved head look quite well, though excuse me if I stick to long maned women, thank you very much. The best part, however, was Hugo Weaving as the titular "V." His performance was excellent, all the moreso when you realize that he was behind a mask the whole time. The story itself was quite good, a much better more realistic look at a horribly dystopic reality than the Matrix series (which I found hugely overrated).

As with most films these days, it was about a half and hour too long. But, I can't really figure out which pieces could have been cut and allowed it to retain its full impact. Nevertheless, this is a minor complaint and overall, the film is definitely worth trekking to theater to see.