V for Vendetta

Heard the one about the break in at The Kremlin? They stole next year's election results.

Twenty-five years ago, when that gag was topical, V For Vendetta was born. It imagined Britain choked by the jackboot, ruled by fear and surveillance. As if that could ever happen.

But blockbusters need more than great timing to prosper, and fortunately V For Vendetta digs deep to deliver it.

Set in the near future, it follows Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman), a struggling youngster plucked from peril by a masked stranger known as V.

Taking her to him home, the Shadow Gallery, his plan becomes clear: to gain notoriety by destroying London landmarks and urging the people to rise up and revolt.

As her tutoring begins, Evey begins to believe, joins the cause and discovers what motivates her teacher to fight the power.

After From Hell and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, author Alan Moore disowned the third movie adaptation of his graphic novel. Sure, there are deviations between page and screen but this one works thanks to a great cast and awesome Nazi-decaf design.

Portman and Weaving are the soul (both are excellent) but the supporting cast also make this memorable. John Hurt, Stephen Fry, Sinead Cusack and Stephen Rea each convince, and make the most of a script that mixes clumsy politics and classy action.

Terrorists are seldom the good guys and big budget movies rarely have such ambitions. On both counts, V's already triumphed.