Written by the Wachowski brothers, “V for Vendetta” shows a futuristic London under the control of a totalitarian government, headed by Chancellor Adam Sutler, played by John Hurt and portrayed as Big Brother. The government enforces strict curfews and fabricates information to be broadcast over the British Television Network where Evey Hammond, played by Natalie Portman, works.

After breaking curfew, Hammond is detained by police only to be rescued by the mysterious V, played by the unseen Hugo Weaving, a subversive force in the dystopian society. She later rescues him from detectives, and as she uncovers more about his vindictive vendetta toward the government, she works to find truth in herself. Ultimately, she has to decide whether she will join him in his violent revolution against their corrupt society.

Jill Blackledge: If “Closer” and “Garden State” didn’t push Natalie Portman’s stardom higher in Hollywood, this movie certainly will. I was worried Portman was going to waste her talent after being in “Star Wars,” but “V for Vendetta” showcases her work. Her character experiences a complete evolution in this film. At the beginning of the movie, Portman looks perfect as the innocent woman fearful of her government, and later on her shaved head gives the appearance of conviction once that character changes.

Andrew Schmeisser: Portman does deliver a stunning performance as Evey Hammond. Filled with bold and risky choices, Portman is a perfect match for Hugo Weaving’s chilling performance as the vindictive, voracious and vivid V. Having worked with the Wachowski brothers before as Agent Smith in the “Matrix” movies, he again delivers a chilling and meticulous performance as the mysterious V. Weaving had to work hard to convey emotions through his voice and posture because of the mask, but it made his performance that much better.

JB: Sometimes when movies are based on comic books or graphic novels, as this one is, the characters can become very two-dimensional like their paper counterparts. However, I think both Evey and V draw viewers in. The audience knows V’s plan from the beginning, and it is privy to the lies the government feeds the public. But it isn’t until the end that it’s fully understood how deep the corruption goes. Using V as a sort of modern Guy Fawkes – the 17th century Catholic who tried to blow up Parliament – provides the overarching feeling that governments have always oppressed their people instead of advancing society.

AS: With his stylistic Fawkes mask, long hair and completely black attire, V makes the ultimate enticing character. He can either be the movie’s protagonist or antagonist, with each option so clouded that he could, in fact, be both. Although wordy, the dialogue for V was carefully picked and formed, including his appreciation of Shakespeare and alliteration, and Weaving’s exceptionally good diction was exactly what the character needed to pull it off.

JB: I could definitely tell this movie had the Wachowski touch to it, with V’s samurai swordsmanship. The overall spectacle of the movie, however, was more frightening than the violence because of the society it presented. From the Orwellian Big Brother screen to the camps and raids reminiscent of Nazis, the movie showed a world of domination through fear. London is still a world capital in this future, but one whose strings are pulled by Chancellor Sutler.

AS: The special effects were well done and flowed from real footage to digital effects. The explosions were convincing, and even the “Matrix” effects, when there were any, did not detract from the movie in the least. However violent the effects were, I did not feel that any of the violence portrayed was in excess.

JB: I think “V for Vendetta” is the best release I’ve seen this year so far. It pushes a lot of hot-button topics about the ethics of government, media and medicine, as well as prejudices toward homosexuals and religions. The main problem I had with the story, however, was that it didn’t know which questions to really push. All the issues it illuminated were valid, but by changing its focus so much, some of the directional force was lost. However, because it had so many questions, maybe the film is more of a direct commentary on today’s society than it seems from the trailers.

AS: Overall, the movie was put together well. It portrays a dark and discouraging vision of the future. One of the things that make the movie worth watching is its attention to detail. V’s collection of censored books, films and various artworks are all things that have been censored in history. Using existing records and actual history as a guide, events in the movie were made believable because similar events have actually happened.