V for Effort. Make that an E.

I went and watched V for Vendetta over the weekend. I was entertained but it wasn't as good as the first Matrix movie or even Constantine. I do okay with subversive movies and I suspect that people who don't will not like this movie. If you can't handle 15 minutes of Starship Troopers you probably won't like V.

The main reason to see V in the theater is to get the full of effect of the simultaneous expolsions, classical music and fireworks as V blows up historical British landmarks. The movie can get slow in parts, I was hoping for a little more action. I did like the touch of the "star/victim" of the most recent version of the film "1984" as the corrupt chancellor in V.

Here are my criticisms:

Natalie Portman's role was not good enough. She's a good actor who appears in a lot of hit movies, and yet her most stand out performance has been that piece of crap "Where the heart is" because she doesn't get very good roles. "Garden State" was alright but it didn't show her ability. And "Star Wars," bah! She didn't have the will live, let alone to save the prequels.

I suspect the writers used current U.S. events to parallel as examples of the corrupt oppressive rule of the future so in the film they sort of seemed cliche. Maybe that's because I read the news. To people who don't read the news it might have been mind-blowing stuff. The banning of art and books seems cliched, too.

The plots of V didn't seem any better than the vile actions of the oppressive government. While I am all for standing against oppression, I'm still not an anarchist.

The subplot about liberation through "coming out of the closet" was granted too much time. Probably has to do with one of the Warchowski brother's going through medical alterations to become a Warchowski sister.

The themes should have been more ethical instead of political. Acceptance should be a virtue regardless of your political pursuasion.

The most unbelievable part of the movie was the calm composure of the everyday people as they overthrew their government. I really wish people could be like that but there are too many morons out there for that to be a reality. In real life it would have turned into a riot faster than you could say "Rodney King" or "The Lakers won the championship."

I like the theme of removing oppression but it's been done better in other movies. Still, it's more fun to watch others liberate themselves from corrupt rule rather than take on the task of removing our own.