Wikipedia:Today's featured article/November 5, 2006

V for Vendetta is a 2006 action-thriller film set in London sometime in the near future. The film follows V, a freedom fighter who uses violence in pursuit of a personal vendetta and, above all, to force sociopolitical change in a dystopian Britain. The film is an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. V for Vendetta was directed by James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, who also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond, Hugo Weaving as V, Stephen Rea as Inspector Finch, and John Hurt as Chancellor Sutler. The film's release was originally scheduled for Friday, November 4, 2005 (a day before the 400th Guy Fawkes Night), but was delayed; it instead opened on March 17, 2006, and has been generally well-received by critics. Alan Moore, however, disassociated himself from the film, something Moore has done with all films made about his works. The filmmakers removed some of the anarchist themes and heavy references to drug use that were present in the original story and added a current political context to the film. Due to the politically sensitive content of the film, V for Vendetta has been the target of both criticism and praise from political groups. (more...)