V for Vendetta.

V for Vendetta. Excellent reputation. Stellar actors. Amazing director. Above all of that, an incredible reputation. The first day watching this movie in school I would agree with these descriptions of the movie. I found the plot extremley interesting - a fascist England with people who know the government is constantly feeding them lies - and the acting to be superb. I must admit, though, I am extremley biased becuase Natalie Portman is my favorite actress.

Second day. Still intriguing movie. The plot mirrored that of Orwell's 1984 and the events were unfolding quite intricately. V, mysterious man character behind the mask that reminds me of that in the Saw series, symbolized revolution and revolt, divergent thinking and Violence. Though obviously creepy, my opinion of him still was that his intentions were in the right place.

However, the days continued to unfold. We are now more than halfway through the movie and I am SERIOUSLY disturbed. Firstly, we were introduced to a first hand account of the detention facility where V was detained. The images shown here were scarring. Numerous people with shaved heads and the same exact red almost hospital gown look-alike forced into lengthy lines awaiting an injection that later kills them. The pit of naked dead people thrown on top of each other without a care in the world. As I watched in horror I was reminded of the Natzi concentration camps and the Holocaust museums I have visited. I am sure there was a parallel drawn there. The wrought iron and gray steel doors enclosing prisoners were soul-shaking. Later, our beloved Natalie Portman who represents the center of goodness and morality is captured and brought to a government facility where she is tortured and interrogated. We see her stripped of her identity, shaved, thrown and dragged around, bound and hanging to shower, shaking and bleeding, only to find out that it was all a test of V. These images were horrifying. However, the fact that V would submit her to this cruelty knowingly and willingly is even more disgusting. Is that how a radical really thinks? He believes in Violence for good, but that is certainly no good.

I must admit, because the depiction affected me so adversely the movie must indeed be effective in conveying a message. Obviously the directing is excellent. I however am apalled at what the movie is actually showing. Hopefully the ending is satisfactory and eases me a little more, however, unfortunately I'll say that the more uneasy I feel the better the movie is.