An Englishman will burn his bed to catch a flea

"Remember, remember, the 5th of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot;
I know of no reason, why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot."

That is a popular English rhyme often quoted on Guy Fawkes Night, in memory of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. And this is where the movie V for Vendetta begins. Guy Fawkes was a member of a group of Roman Catholic conspirators, who attempted to assassinate King James I of England (James VI of Scotland) and the members of both houses of the Parliament of England by blowing up the House of Lords (Palace of Westminster). Fawkes is largely responsible for the later stages of the plan’s execution, but they were, however, detected before its completion and were executed for treason and attempted murder.

Then we now move forward to the future of a totalitarian Britain, a time when the World War III has come and gone; a time when the United States of America is no longer in power, where everything was left in chaos. In order for England to prevail, the citizens became complacent under one law – a fascist state, where the government controls what people see on television, read in the papers, and when can they venture out in the streets.

"It is for their protection," as what the iron-fisted Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt) reminds the passive populace. He leads the single-party Norsefire that keeps control of the country through food shortages, suspended civil rights, secret police, a planned economy, and suppressing the nation's various political, ethnic and sexual minorities.

Then came V (Hugo Weaving), a knife-throwing, poetry-quoting caped crusader living like the Phantom of the Opera and hides behind the smiling mask of Guy Fawkes. He rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from being molested by the secret police and gained an ally. He is a terrorist and anarchist who started an elaborate, violent, and theatrical campaign to bring down the government by blowing up London landmarks. He then took over the government-controlled airwaves, to urge his fellow citizens to rise up against their tyrannical and oppressive government - telling them that they are all imprisoned and showed them the bars.

This is a story of a government who should be fearful of the people it governs and of a terrorist who can be called a hero. V for Vendetta is based on the ten-issue comic book written by Alan Moore (though he removed himself from the movie credits after being appalled with the script) and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd. The first-time director James McTeigue helmed the movie while the Wachowski brothers (Andy and Larry) of the Matrix fame wrote the screenplay.

The movie isn't a disaster as what other people may think. If people were bogged down by the pompous metaphysical mumbo-jumbo of the Matrix sequels, this movie with all its lofty philosophizing is very thought provoking. It focuses more on the characters than on exploding buildings and fight scenes. It is a movie with action, ideas and an uncanny vision of a possible future.

There's talk on this film about glamorizing terrorism and will strike to some as irresponsible or even treasonous, but I think it is a cheeky way to show that, indeed, one man's freedom fighter can be another man's terrorist. There surely is a certain seductiveness in the psychology of terrorism when you are sure you are on the right side; just think of the other movie Munich.