Watchmen
Watchmen
(Film Review)
(Film Review)
Each year, there is at least one movie that I really get excited about it and this year, it was Watchmen. Watchmen is one of my favorite all time graphic novels and one that I've always dreamed of seeing on the big screen. I've read the original story (told over 12 issues, with a great deal of supplementary material) a number of times and as much as I always dreamed about seeing it adapted for live-action, I was always curious about whether or not it could be done successfully. However, I went to go see it opening weekend to see whether it would be.
Watchmen
Released March 6, 2009
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino.
Running Time: 163 Minutes (2 Hours and 43 minutes)
Rating: R
Directed by: Zack Snyder.
Adapting a graphic novel that is as complex and critically acclaimed as Watchmen is a task that I really wasn't convinced could be accomplished, to be honest. Past adaptations of Alan Moore's work haven't always translated to screen very well and that has led to Moore distancing himself from any further movie versions of his graphic novels. In fact, Alan Moore said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that "I shan’t be going to see it. My book is a comic book. Not a movie, not a novel. A comic book. It’s been made in a certain way, and designed to be read a certain way: in an armchair, nice and cozy next to a fire, with a steaming cup of coffee…" In my opinion though, Alan Moore should pour himself a steaming cup of coffee here in a few months, curl up in his armchair and let the flames crackle as the opening credits roll to see a very faithful Watchmen adaptation.
In fact, the opening credits are one of the best scenes in the entire film and sets the bar extremely high for the rest of the movie. An opening series of snapshots are shown to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'", which sets up the alternate history in which the movie takes place. Richard Nixon remains in office as the United States and Russia are on the brink of catastrophic nuclear war as the Doomsday Clock inches ever closer to midnight. It's a world in which superheroes exist, although not in an official capacity anymore. The "Keene Act" has left masked vigilantes outlawed but as the world heads towards almost certain destruction,will they continue to sit on the sidelines or can the world be saved after all?
Despite a great deal of the plot concerning "saving the world", Watchmen does not really play out like a conventinal superhero movie. The story arc of the film addresses a variety of issues that raise a number of moral issues such as murder or rape, set against the equally morally confusing times of the Cold War and the spectre of mutually assured destruction. However, the film really centers around the dynamics and strengths of the character relationships, which is why casting was so important to the film.
In an ensemble piece like this, it's hard to pick a main character but the character at the center of it all is Rorschach, a masked vigilante who has remained active since the Keene Act and whose diary entries narrate throughout the film. Rorschach is a disturbing character, yet he draws you in through his dogged determination and uncompromising nature as he dons his 'face' (a mask composed of a changing inkblot pattern from which he draws his name) and searches for somebody who appears to be systematically targeting superheroes. Played by Jackie Earle Haley, he is at the heart of some of the most powerful scenes in the movie and is always up to the task.
Also drawn into the mystery are other retired heroes, such as Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II. Nite Owl II is played by Patrick Wilson who does a great job playing the everyman of the movie. Wilson captures the uncertainty and strength of Nite Owl II precisely. Working with him would be Silk Spectre II, played by Malin Akerman, who does a very believable job playing the role. From some circles I've heard some criticism concerning her performance, but you'll hear none from me. Ackerman's scenes with Wilson display a great deal of chemistry between the two and together, they form the emotional center of the film.
The Comedian is also a pivotal part in this movie, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is probably most familar to audiences from Grey's Anatomy but if they come in expecting a similar performance here, they're about to be shocked. The Comedian is certainly about as far from likeable as can be, though displays a certain charisma as a cocky and confident hero who appears to treat life as a joke, if only to keep from crying. It was a surprising turn from Morgan, but in the context of the film, absolutely enjoyable. Perhaps the best performance though (hard to top Rorschach) would be by Billy Crudup, playing the 'god-like' Dr. Manhattan. Speaking in a toneless and monotonous voice throughout most of the film, you only see him briefly as his human self, he has perhaps the hardest job in the movie. Crudup is forced to display humanity here, a core theme of the film, even as his character appears to be distancing himself from it and yet, he pulls it off.
Perhaps the only real casting choice I wasn't entirely pleased with would be Matthew Goode. Certainly nothing personal against him, but cast as Ozymandias, the world's smartest man, he seemed slightly out of place. My opinion is that the character would be larger than life, in charge of the biggest corporation the planet, but Goode just seems to lack that quality and the screen presence to pull it off. I just never quite bought it and while he doesn't hurt the film overall, he doesn't help it either. Carla Gugino and Stephen McHattie, as Silk Spectre I and Nite Owl I respectively, both do a great job with the scenes that they're given and really add a lot of authenticity.
For any movie, music is a big part of it and Watchmen would definitely be another film to showcase it as the original graphic had Alan Moore quoting musical lyrics throughout the comic book from such musical inspiration such as Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello and others. Some of the musical choices such as during the opening credits montage or the funeral of the Comedian were fantastic, while others didn't exactly have me shouting Hallelujah if you know what I mean. Tyler Bates' score was a pleasant surprise as I really didn't have my expectations set too high considering I wasn't a huge fan of his largely techno-rock score to 300, but he took a largely minimalist approach here with some sparse guitar work and synthesizer beats which really enhances the film.
As both a film and a comic book adaptation, Watchmen can be labeled a success. Pulling together most, if not all, of the crucial plot threads from the comic book and translating them to the film in an acceptable running time is an impressive task. It's a long movie, but one that certainly never felt long to me. Not to say I don't have a few complaints as it did change a few plot points from the original graphic novel, most noticeably the ending, but the mood and moral dilemma remains the same. At some points, the movie is more graphic than the graphic novel is, which is more a stylistic choice than anything but one that I don't think ultimately detracts from the film. Most of the choices serve to enhance the film but a few keep the film from being perfect.
In the end, (although nothing ever ends), the book is always better than the movie and Watchmen is no exception. Watchmen is a stellar film, showcasing the power of film to add some interesting dimensions to a beloved classic, in a definitely reverent adaptation of the source material. A question often asked throughout the film is "Who watches the Watchmen?" and, hopefully, in regards to this movie, the answer will be everybody.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5.
(By the way, when I say everybody, I didn't of course mean that. It is rated R for a reason, so the faint of heart and squeamish should stay at home. Children should stay at home too for this film, that should go without saying, although I was shocked to see some parents bring in their kids anyway. For the young ones, they could watch this short, which envisions how the Watchmen would've appeared as a Saturday Morning Cartoon - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDHHrt6l4w - which is filled with plenty of jokes for Watchmen fans and classic old school cartoon lovers alike.)
Watchmen
Released March 6, 2009Starring: Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino.
Running Time: 163 Minutes (2 Hours and 43 minutes)
Rating: R
Directed by: Zack Snyder.
Adapting a graphic novel that is as complex and critically acclaimed as Watchmen is a task that I really wasn't convinced could be accomplished, to be honest. Past adaptations of Alan Moore's work haven't always translated to screen very well and that has led to Moore distancing himself from any further movie versions of his graphic novels. In fact, Alan Moore said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that "I shan’t be going to see it. My book is a comic book. Not a movie, not a novel. A comic book. It’s been made in a certain way, and designed to be read a certain way: in an armchair, nice and cozy next to a fire, with a steaming cup of coffee…" In my opinion though, Alan Moore should pour himself a steaming cup of coffee here in a few months, curl up in his armchair and let the flames crackle as the opening credits roll to see a very faithful Watchmen adaptation.
In fact, the opening credits are one of the best scenes in the entire film and sets the bar extremely high for the rest of the movie. An opening series of snapshots are shown to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'", which sets up the alternate history in which the movie takes place. Richard Nixon remains in office as the United States and Russia are on the brink of catastrophic nuclear war as the Doomsday Clock inches ever closer to midnight. It's a world in which superheroes exist, although not in an official capacity anymore. The "Keene Act" has left masked vigilantes outlawed but as the world heads towards almost certain destruction,will they continue to sit on the sidelines or can the world be saved after all?
Despite a great deal of the plot concerning "saving the world", Watchmen does not really play out like a conventinal superhero movie. The story arc of the film addresses a variety of issues that raise a number of moral issues such as murder or rape, set against the equally morally confusing times of the Cold War and the spectre of mutually assured destruction. However, the film really centers around the dynamics and strengths of the character relationships, which is why casting was so important to the film.
In an ensemble piece like this, it's hard to pick a main character but the character at the center of it all is Rorschach, a masked vigilante who has remained active since the Keene Act and whose diary entries narrate throughout the film. Rorschach is a disturbing character, yet he draws you in through his dogged determination and uncompromising nature as he dons his 'face' (a mask composed of a changing inkblot pattern from which he draws his name) and searches for somebody who appears to be systematically targeting superheroes. Played by Jackie Earle Haley, he is at the heart of some of the most powerful scenes in the movie and is always up to the task.
Also drawn into the mystery are other retired heroes, such as Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II. Nite Owl II is played by Patrick Wilson who does a great job playing the everyman of the movie. Wilson captures the uncertainty and strength of Nite Owl II precisely. Working with him would be Silk Spectre II, played by Malin Akerman, who does a very believable job playing the role. From some circles I've heard some criticism concerning her performance, but you'll hear none from me. Ackerman's scenes with Wilson display a great deal of chemistry between the two and together, they form the emotional center of the film.
The Comedian is also a pivotal part in this movie, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is probably most familar to audiences from Grey's Anatomy but if they come in expecting a similar performance here, they're about to be shocked. The Comedian is certainly about as far from likeable as can be, though displays a certain charisma as a cocky and confident hero who appears to treat life as a joke, if only to keep from crying. It was a surprising turn from Morgan, but in the context of the film, absolutely enjoyable. Perhaps the best performance though (hard to top Rorschach) would be by Billy Crudup, playing the 'god-like' Dr. Manhattan. Speaking in a toneless and monotonous voice throughout most of the film, you only see him briefly as his human self, he has perhaps the hardest job in the movie. Crudup is forced to display humanity here, a core theme of the film, even as his character appears to be distancing himself from it and yet, he pulls it off.
Perhaps the only real casting choice I wasn't entirely pleased with would be Matthew Goode. Certainly nothing personal against him, but cast as Ozymandias, the world's smartest man, he seemed slightly out of place. My opinion is that the character would be larger than life, in charge of the biggest corporation the planet, but Goode just seems to lack that quality and the screen presence to pull it off. I just never quite bought it and while he doesn't hurt the film overall, he doesn't help it either. Carla Gugino and Stephen McHattie, as Silk Spectre I and Nite Owl I respectively, both do a great job with the scenes that they're given and really add a lot of authenticity.
For any movie, music is a big part of it and Watchmen would definitely be another film to showcase it as the original graphic had Alan Moore quoting musical lyrics throughout the comic book from such musical inspiration such as Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello and others. Some of the musical choices such as during the opening credits montage or the funeral of the Comedian were fantastic, while others didn't exactly have me shouting Hallelujah if you know what I mean. Tyler Bates' score was a pleasant surprise as I really didn't have my expectations set too high considering I wasn't a huge fan of his largely techno-rock score to 300, but he took a largely minimalist approach here with some sparse guitar work and synthesizer beats which really enhances the film.
As both a film and a comic book adaptation, Watchmen can be labeled a success. Pulling together most, if not all, of the crucial plot threads from the comic book and translating them to the film in an acceptable running time is an impressive task. It's a long movie, but one that certainly never felt long to me. Not to say I don't have a few complaints as it did change a few plot points from the original graphic novel, most noticeably the ending, but the mood and moral dilemma remains the same. At some points, the movie is more graphic than the graphic novel is, which is more a stylistic choice than anything but one that I don't think ultimately detracts from the film. Most of the choices serve to enhance the film but a few keep the film from being perfect.
In the end, (although nothing ever ends), the book is always better than the movie and Watchmen is no exception. Watchmen is a stellar film, showcasing the power of film to add some interesting dimensions to a beloved classic, in a definitely reverent adaptation of the source material. A question often asked throughout the film is "Who watches the Watchmen?" and, hopefully, in regards to this movie, the answer will be everybody.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5.
(By the way, when I say everybody, I didn't of course mean that. It is rated R for a reason, so the faint of heart and squeamish should stay at home. Children should stay at home too for this film, that should go without saying, although I was shocked to see some parents bring in their kids anyway. For the young ones, they could watch this short, which envisions how the Watchmen would've appeared as a Saturday Morning Cartoon - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDHHrt6l4w - which is filled with plenty of jokes for Watchmen fans and classic old school cartoon lovers alike.)
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