DVD REVIEWS OF NEW RELEASES.

Byline: ROB LOWMAN

`V' tweaks our ideas about terrorism

There is often a thin line between hero and villain.

In ``V for Vendetta,'' Hugo Weaving plays a masked figure -- known only as V -- trying to bring down a dystopian government in England of 2020. The futuristic tale is set in a time after a virus has wiped out much of the world, and the English have traded their freedoms and fears for security and the iron fist of a dictator's rule.

Everyone knows that they are being fed lies by the government and through its proxy, the country's sole TV network, but opposition rarely rises above an ironic statement until V blows up the Old Bailey Courthouse.

The mask he wears is of Guy Fawkes, the rebel or patriot (depending on your perspective) who on Nov. 5, 1605, tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Before setting off his own detonations (to the ``1812 Overture''), V saves a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) from a sexual assault by some corrupt policemen and then brings her along to witness the destruction.

The next day, V takes over the TV station where Evey happens to work so he can announce it was he who blew up the Bailey and that he will return a year later to destroy the Houses of Parliament -- and he wants everyone to join him. But once again, he puts Evey in peril, and she's taken to his underground hideout.

Directed by James McTeigue and written by Andy and Larry Wachowski (the writer-directors of the ``Matrix'' franchise) from the graphic novel by Alan Moore, ``V for Vendetta'' plays with the idea of whether a terrorist can also be a hero -- obviously trying to echo the realpolitik of the day. But echoes can sound empty, especially when the Wachowskis (who have taken themselves too seriously, as the last two ``Matrixes'' showed) start spinning out half-baked philosophic and political ideas.

The film itself bounces around between its story lines -- Stephen Rea plays an honest cop working for a bad government, Stephen Fry is a TV personality looking for courage, and then there's that terrible scientific experiment -- before it pulls itself together for the big-bang ending that these types of films inevitably have.

Along the way, there are bits and pieces to keep your interest -- the performances by Rea, Fry and Portman, who is gaining a maturity, and some of the action set sequences.

And if you're looking for a hero, it's Weaving, who -- despite never taking off the full-face mask so you don't even see his lips move -- is engaging and entertaining, even when spouting out some stuff that isn't as profound as the the filmmakers think it is.

The two-disc set includes a number of extras, including a look at the process of creating the future world of the film and a featurette on the history of Guy Fawkes.

Rob Lowman [phone]

[e-mail]

NEW FILMS

``Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock'' is yet another look at the annual phenomenon of art in the desert that culminates with a giant wooden figure set ablaze on the final day of the festival. The irony is that this documentary seems to focus on how the organizers and veterans of the event are afraid that Burning Man has become too popular, bringing in unwanted elements and creating more bureaucracy. If that was their worry, why did they allow the filmmakers so much access to even make the doc?

OLDER FILMS

Real funny stays funny. Over the years, some comedies lose their punch because of changing fashions. ``A Fish Called Wanda'' -- now out in a special edition -- isn't one of them. Written by and starring Monty Python alum John Cleese, and directed by Charles Crichton, the film is filled with offbeat characters like Michael Palin's stuttering, animal-loving bad guy and Kevin Kline's Oscar-winning role as Otto the legend-in-his-own-mind hit man. And the clash of cultures between theAmericans -- Otto and the loosey-goosey Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) -- and Cleese's uptight barrister Archie Leach (Cary Grant's real name) is played for all it's worth.

The other cinematic Asian detective of the '30s -- Charlie Chan being the first -- was Mr. Moto. In the typical casting of the era, the Japanese sleuth was played by Peter Lorre, a non-Asian who had made his mark for his chilling portrayal of a child molester in Fritz Lang's 1931 ``M.''

Though there weren't plans beyond one film, ``Think Fast, Mr. Moto,'' the B picture was popular enough to spawn a series.

Four of the films are part of the ``Mr. Moto Collection, Vol. 1.'' If nothing else, the films are lively and -- to a certain degree -- tongue in cheek. Lorre was able to immerse himself in the role. The character, though, was a bit odd for the day, with Moto -- like Bond -- given a license to kill, which he did sometimes with alarming ease.

TELEVISION

``Broken Saints -- The Animated Comic Epic'' didn't first appear on television but on the Internet. Still, that's a small screen, so the cult favorite will be listed here for now. ``Broken Saints'' is essentially what its title says it is: a moving comic book. It tells the story of four strangers, who, after receiving an apocalyptic vision, come together to save the world. But over 12 hours, the fantasy series is meant to be anything but simplistic, raising various philosophic and political questions.

For those concerned about this world, there's ``Frontline -- The Al Qaeda Files,'' a collection of episodes on the terrorist group, and the excellent documentary ``Frontline -- The Age of AIDS.''

HBO has four worthwhile titles: Larry David's wonderfully acerbic alter ego returns in ``Curb Your Enthusiasm -- The Complete Fifth Season''; Annette Bening gives a smart performance in ``Mrs. Harris,'' the story of the woman accused of murdering famed Scarsdale Diet Dr. Herman Tarnower (Ben Kingsley); ``Richard Pryor -- Live in Concert'' features a terrific live performance by the legendary (I don't use the word lightly) comedian; and while I didn't cotton much to the inside-Hollywood story of ``The Comeback -- The Complete Only Season,'' I loved Lisa Kudrow's performance.

THE PRICE TAGS

NEW FILMS

``V for Vendetta Two-Disc Special Edition'' (Warner; $34.98, $28.98 for the single disc)

``Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock'' (Lightyear; $19.98)

OLDER FILMS

``A Fish Called Wanda -- Deluxe Edition'' (MGM; $24.96)

``What the `Bleep' Do We Know?! -- Down the Rabbit Hole Quantum Edition'' (Fox; $26.98)

``Mr. Moto Collection, Vol. 1'' (``Mr. Moto Takes a Chance,'' Mysterious Mr. Moto,'' ``Thank You Mr. Moto,'' ``Think Fast Mr. Moto'') (Fox; $59.98)

``Benny & Joon'' (MGM; $14.94)

TELEVISION

``Broken Saints -- The Animated Comic Epic'' ($49.98)

``Frontline -- The Al Qaeda Files'' (PBS/Paramount; $34.99)

``Frontline -- The Age of AIDS'' (PBS/Paramount; $39.98)

``Curb Your Enthusiasm -- The Complete Fifth Season'' (HBO; $39.98)

``Mrs. Harris'' (HBO; $26.98)

``Richard Pryor -- Live in Concert'' (HBO; $26.98)

``Dallas -- The Complete Fifth Season'' (Warner; $39.98)

``Hazel -- The Complete First Season'' (Columbia; $29.95)

FOR KIDS

``The Shaggy Dog'' (Disney; $29.99)

``Alice in Wonderland'' (Columbia; $14.94)

MUSIC

``Chris Botti -- Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests'' (Columbia; $19.98 includes bonus CD)

``Jimmy Buffett -- Live at Wrigley Field'' (Mailboat; $26.98)

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) Natalie Portman in ``V for Vendetta.''

(2) no caption ("Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock")

(3) no caption ("What the 'Bleep' Do We Know?!- Down the Rabbit Hole Quantum Edition")