'V For Vendetta' (R) (out of four)

"V For Vendetta" is probably one of the most explosive movies you will see all year -- and I mean that literally and figuratively.

As you would expect from a movie that originated as a graphic novel, a lot of things are blown up and a lot of blood is spurting, but "V For Vendetta" has a much bigger agenda.

Cross "1984" with Hitler Germany and you get a taste of what to expect when you enter the movie theater. The movie shamelessly borrows from many films about totalitarianism, but "1984" looms as large as the massive image of Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt) does over his secret government.

Set sometime in the future, the world is in chaos. The "Former United States" is decimated by war and Britain has suffered hundreds of thousands of deaths as the result of a virus. The British people have accepted martial law in exchange for protection from the virus and from total anarchy. Reminiscent of "1984," books like the Quran and the Bible, art, music and anything that encourages independent thinking is forbidden and locked away.

What the people do not know is to what extent their freedoms have been eroded. Activists and anybody else who questions the government are sent away to detainment camps (read: concentration camps), where they are subjected to horrific experiments in an attempt to "improve" the human race.

In the middle of this restrictive reign, a man known simply as "V" (Hugo Weaving) emerges on Nov. 5, wearing the guise of the British traitor (or as some may believe, liberator) Guy Fawkes, who was caught in 1605 trying to blow up Parliament to protest the tyrannical government.

In the same way that Fawkes was considered both a traitor and a hero, "V" starts a reign of terror designed to pull the supports out from under a government that is basically holding its citizens hostage. This is no Ghandi or Martin Luther King Jr. looking for freedom through nonviolent protest -- "V" makes a big show of blowing up landmarks and picking off key government figures one-by-one with showmanship and decisiveness.

However, "V's" chance encounter with Evey (Natalie Portman) gives him pause, and puts a face on the type of people he is fighting for -- those who have been convinced that living under the governmental thumb is better than no life at all. Meanwhile, Evey (in a page taken from "The Phantom of the Opera") becomes intrigued by this masked man who is at turns vicious and gentle.

"V For Vendetta" is simply brilliant. There are so many levels to its rhetoric that it lets you decide what to draw from its premise. Is "V" a villain or vanquisher? Should people be led or lead their own lives? Are we willing to put up with a little brainwashing, wiretapping and being told what is good for us and what is bad for us in exchange for security and safety? Even the letter V has different meanings.

Now, don’t think I’m making "V For Vendetta" out to be some highbrow political and social studies lesson. The movie is a humdinger of a thrill ride as the surprises and background keep rolling out. The end is so deliciously designed that it can become imprinted on your mind for some time.

However, if you are squeamish, be ready to cover your eyes for a few scenes -- some that are just plain bloody like a good graphic novel should be (but it never lasts for long), and some that make you squirm from the memories of past atrocities, like the Holocaust.

Although Weaving was a last-minute substitute as "V," he fits the part like a glove. Even a stiff mask cannot contain Weaving’s talent. It's almost like the mask has facial expressions.

You may remember that Weaving played the multiple villains Mr. Smith in "The Matrix" movies, created by Andy and Larry Wachowski, who wrote and produced "V For Vendetta." In fact, their first assistant director, James McTeigue, is at the helm of this project. For the most part, McTeigue resists the urge to use tricks from "The Matrix," but near the end of "V For Vendetta," there is a fight scene that is an obvious thank-you to his mentors.

Portman continues to show us why she is one of the best young actresses in movies today. She may be petite, but she is mighty and grows throughout the film into the force we see at the end. Also, proper respect must be paid to John Hurt, who, as the chancellor, spends most of the movie as a giant face on a screen looming over his minions, spitting venom, hate and disguised fear trying to reign in the inevitable revolution.

How far are you willing to go to protect your ideals and your ideas? "V For Vendetta" asks that question and a whole lot more without ever sacrificing a rich, satisfying and exciting adventure.