V For Vendetta

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November, the gunpowder, treason and plot..." So begins V For Vendetta, a science-fiction action movie that courts more controversy than Syriana, Brokeback Mountain and Good Night, And Good Luck. combined.

The film is set in a post-apocalyptic future England ruled over by fascist dictator Sutler (John Hurt), whose methods are familiar: secret police, brain-washing media and the internment and mass execution of undesirables. Raging against the regime is half-insane concentration camp escapee V (Hugo Weaving), who is never seen without his sinister Guy Fawkes mask, and his new recruit, young journalist Evey (Natalie Portman). Her only friend is her boss, Gordon (Stephen Fry), who is forced to keep his homosexuality secret.

Based on the graphic novel by British writer Alan Moore, with illustrations by David Lloyd, the film is written by the Wachowski brothers, the duo behind the Matrix trilogy, who also share producing credits with Hollywood legend Joel Silver. Post 9/11, having your film's hero declare that "blowing up a building can change the world" is audacious, especially as he actually goes ahead and does it. Twice.

"I've made a lot of stupid action films," says Silver looking more than ever like John Rhys-Davies - Gimli from The Lord Of The Rings. "But when we made The Matrix, we saw that people wanted more than that."

And with Vendetta they get it. It's loaded with references to current events, invoking everything from avian flu to Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and the 'War on Terror'. While the setting may be England, it's clear that it's George W Bush's White House they've got in their sights. Or maybe not.

Next page • "People think it's about Iran, people think it's about the US"