V for Vendetta

A closer look at the story

V for Vendetta imagines a bleak future in which Great Britain has turned into a fascist state and its people live under the heel of an oppressive regime. A mysterious man who hides his face behind a mask, known simply as V, is waging a one-man guerrilla campaign against those in power. Some see him as a hero, others as a dangerous madman. At one point V saves a young woman named Evey from the secret police and discovers in her an ally who could help him carry on the fight to liberate the British people. Evey, for her part, has to decide whether her rescuer's war will free society or endanger it, while a detective works desperately to catch V before he can spark a revolution. Adapted from the comic book of the same name, this 132-minute film from 2006 was directed by James McTeigue from a screenplay by Lilly and Lana Wachowski, and is a German, British and American production. Natalie Portman plays Evey and Hugo Weaving plays V, with Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry and John Hurt also in the cast.