I was beginning to worry the The Wachowskis had lost it. They had a monster hit with The Matrix, and managed to mangle it with parts 2 and 3. So I tried really hard Not to be impressed by the flashy trailer for "V"

The movie V for Vendetta is quite good. Well paced, and well spoken, although at times it tries a bit too hard to be clever. (The "V" monologue in the alley, for instance, actually made me roll my eyes).

From "V" I discovered that Natalie Portman's hideous acting abilities in Star Wars were only a passing phase! Or is it possible (dare I even suggest!) that giving her a real role with some real lines actually... Um, never mind.

I could have done without Natalie's character constantly running to different men, asking for help/protection. The times she spends not under the care of others is...uneventful. She didn't seem that helpless to me, and it would have been refreshing to see her kick some ass to save the hero (and I don't mean tapping guards on the shoulder and spraying them with mace), or perhaps take up his mask to help him fight the good fight.

I would say the future in "V" did not look so futuristic. Do you really think that in the future everyone will be walking around with RAZR phones? Doubt it. UltraViolet had a much better futuristic look and feel to it.

Aside from these minor trivialities, the plot is really, really good. Not surprising, since the movie is based on a comic book. (Don't worry, I am sure that any time now the Writers Strike in Hollywood will end, and they can start making original movies again.) The complicated plot is well-done without taking a 15-min break in the middle of the movie to explain it, (the way Underworld:Evolution did.) If this movie don't make you want to overthrow the government, then nothing short of listening to 'Rage Against The Machine' will. Let's just hope the plot is not 'timely' or 'visionary' to any degree.

Speaking of 'Rage Against the Machine' I am surprised nothing from them showed up on the soundtrack. The soundtrack for the movie was fairly innocuous, more of a score, really, with few actual songs which in itself was a nice change.

Could it be that Hollywood has put out so much utter shite for so long, that finally releasing something unique and refreshing like "V" earns a 8 out of 10 from yours truly?

Let's just hope that the Wachowski Brothers don't try to make a "V" part 2 or 3. Leave well enough alone.

Blog on,
-CZ

Labels: Hollywood, movie reviews