Watchmen will doubtless engender plenty of controversy; projects of such scope and ambition always do. Those unfamiliar with the groundbreaking Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons graphic novel may be baffled by its complex structure and vision of a 1985 that never was. Hard-core fans may quibble about the tiny changes scattered here and there: the mild adjustments to the finale, the inevitable excisions, the few moments which don't quite click as well as they did on the page. Any gem this brilliant has a way of magnifying its few flaws, which stand out all the more for the beauty surrounding them. If you put a gun to my head, I'd likely tell you The Dark Knight was better, and that director Zack Snyder's efforts to bring this tale to the screen fall a few inches short of absolute perfection.
But the very fact that it aspires to such heights--that it plays in the same league as the best comic book adaptations ever made--speaks volumes about its achievements. How can one complain about the occasional alteration in the face of such otherwise fastidious accuracy? How can one snark about the odd misplayed line after witnessing Jackie Earle Haley's Ledgerian portrayal of the masked vigilante Rorschach? How can one decry excision or streamlining when Snyder compresses so much detail into the singular, stunning opening credits--surely some of the best of their kind since Saul Bass hung up his spurs? How can one complain about the small failures of Watchmen when its successes dwarf them so profoundly and completely?
MATTHEW GOODE as Ozymandias and JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN as The Comedian in WATCHMEN
"Accuracy" remains the overriding principle of this project, and fans of the book will be awestruck at how much appears intact onscreen. Not just the dialogue (which is often word-for-word) or the characters (who retain the same rich fascination as they do on the page), but in the dense, indescribable details which crowd the frame for our attention. The blimps in the sky, the ads on the billboards, that strange-looking fellow in the background proclaiming that the end is nigh… all of them conjure a one-of-a-kind alternate history so elegantly and completely as to take the breath away.
Moore and Gibbons started with a very simple equation--what if costumed heroes existed in the real world?--and unfolded it into a Pandora's box of neo-noir and Cold War paranoia. The watershed event of this universe occurs in the late 1950s, when a nuclear scientist (Billy Crudup) suffers a catastrophic accident and emerges as… well, as a god. Dr. Manhattan, as he is dubbed, quickly reshapes the course of human history: possessing near omnipotent powers and wielded as a cudgel by the U.S. government against its enemies at home and abroad. Under his unstoppable might, Vietnam is won in a week, Nixon overturns Presidential term limits, and the Soviet Union finds itself with its back against a supremely unyielding wall. Then one night, in the wake of media controversy, the ultimate weapon decides to take a powder, leaving the politicians who so cavalierly exploited him holding the bag.
Billy Crudup is Dr. Manhattan in Watchmen
His disappearance suspiciously coincides with the murder of another costumed figure--The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan)--who possessed no special powers but who also worked at the behest of the government. His death sends shockwaves through the small community of former heroes, also devoid of superhuman abilities and now living in retirement after a public outcry over their activities. Rorschach (the only one among them who neither stepped down nor submitted to federal oversight) spearheads the efforts to find the killer before any other "masks" are targeted, while his colleagues search desperately for a way to prevent the nuclear war which looms in the wake of Dr. Manhattan's departure.
The sheer scale of it all takes some getting used to, and yet Snyder renders it with uncanny precision. Plot exposition, when it arrives, comes wrapped in stunning cross-cuts and unparalleled visual imagery: allowing us to absorb the necessary information before we're scarcely aware of it. The imagination on display owes everything to Gibbons' pictures, and yet it attains such uniquely cinematic vibrancy that one wonders why Hollywood never called on the man before now.
Carla Gugino is the original Silk Spectre in Watchmen
So too, does Watchmen's overall tone engulf us in its totality. Moore presented his work as a form of satire--tongue-in-cheek affection for classic superhero stereotypes mixed in with sudden, shocking bursts of brutal violence. Human evil exists in Watchmen, a fact which its various would-be supermen are at a loss to properly confront. One of them finally devises a solution to the Gordian knot which entangles them… but there's a catch, the monstrosity of which strips the remaining characters raw. We thus see them not as two-dimensional archetypes, but as the fully-developed human beings they are: flawed, fragile, and endeavoring to do the right thing in a world filled with moral compromise. Snyder articulates their plight--and the way they simultaneously overcome it and fall victim to it--with an exquisite devotion borne of true affection.
With such tremendous assets on display, it behooves one to note the moments where Watchmen could have done better. There aren't many, but they do crop up from time to time, and I suspect they will generate their fair share of debate. With such a complex storyline, some characters invariably get short-changed… most notably Silk Spectre (Malin Ackerman), a second-generation heroine whose mother (Carla Gugino) pushed her into the family business. The screenplay marginalizes their relationship in favor of other dynamics, and her big moment--a revelation on the planet Mars--falls flatter than it should thanks to some less-than-graceful delivery. The subtle changes to the third act remain troubling as well: not so much in their intent as in their execution, which alters certain characters' reactions and muddies the waters of the finale a bit. And although it runs a good 160 minutes (not a second of which drags), some of the more superfluous plotlines have been simplified or dropped to save time. Purists may be disappointed at such alterations, no matter how necessary they are to keep the length in check.
JACKIE EARLE HALEY as Rorschach in WATCHMEN
Against Watchmen's towering achievements, however, such complaints feel exceedingly petty. Snyder has crafted a first-rate tribute to one of the greatest graphic novels ever penned, retaining its original depth and complexity while taking full advantage of the possibilities that cinema provides. Like the book, it rewards multiple viewings, both in terms of the incredible visuals on display and in the philosophical questions bubbling beneath the surface. Whether the average filmgoer embraces its vision has yet to be seen, but for those who love and appreciate the original, two decades of waiting have yielded terrific results. It's hard to imagine anyone doing better than what Snyder has done here, or Watchmen failing to age as splendidly as the brilliant text from which it sprang.
Watchmen opens in theaters March 6th.
"I'd likely tell you The Dark Knight was better"
Of course TDK was better.
It ain't fair to compare all comic book films to TDK cause they ain't gonna touch it. TDK is like Michael Jordan, why bother comparing Kobe or Lebron to his Airness? Yea they are great but they ain't MJ. There is only 1 Michael Jeffrey Jordan.
I'm pumped for Watchmen and seeing Rorschach. Per all the reviews I've read Jackie Earl owns the flick.
rottentomatoes.com has it at 92% at the moment, 11/1 positive so looks like Zac delivered. That it can be mentioned as being anywhere near the level of TDK is a compliment in and of itself.
I like the "Ledgerian" comment and wouldn't be surprised if it caught on. I remember Jackie Earle Haley from "Breaking Away" back in the 70s; he's always had the chops for a role like this, looks as if he's made the most of it.
Yo that's a pretty good score, hopefully it keeps up. The film looks excellent from what I've seen. Ending be damned, I'm not a big comic book reader nor a huge Watchmen fan so I think I'll be able to deal with the no squid ending.
I've read the Ledger comment in a few reviews also. Does that mean Jackie Earle being nominated next year? He has been nominated before but I can't think of a movie opening up in March ending up with any kind of nomination.
''Of course TDK was better''
Come on now....that's so funny........anyways. I know Hanso you love TDK but it's just funny to read this. It's one thing to love TDK for all that was done but to blindly state that TDK is the best movie and will always be the best movie ever is a bit too much, that's all I want to say (which I know your comment doesn't emply all that but it sounds like that a little).
The movie Watchmen will probably be the one comic-to-movie where everyone who reads comic will talk about, more then Iron-Man, more then Hulk, and more importantly, more then TDK. I can't wait to see it but from all the reviews I've read so far, it looks like this movie will be on par with Iron-Man and TDK, it will be excellent. I'm also very open to the idea that this movie will be a very good adaptation of the comic to movie genre regardless of the changes (but a little sting to my heart always happens when I hear or see adaptations into movie with so many cuts and changes) which I'm hoping will bring a new perspective on comics to the ''regular'' people.
Now all bets are open to, will the movie make lots of money of fall short because only the comic ''geeks'' of the world will see this movie.
Love is blind Jedibanner, love is blind!
As to your question, it's kinda hard to predict I think. It's an R film that is over 2 and half hours long so that ain't helping it. Plus it ain't mainstream. Take the lovely Mrs. Hanso, she ain't interested in seeing it, doesn't care for it. I'll drag her to see it though cause she is going to make me take her to see He's Just Not that into you.
I'm sure many Mrs. in the world will end up being ''dragged'' in the theatre for this movie (although, the Mrs. Jedibanner is actually looking for it to see the movie) but what I'm afraid is that, this movie is so precise to comic readers but the general audience might not see the importance of why this movie was made...and including the R rated and the 2h41 minutes which doesn't help at all.
I know they will make money with me since I will probably see this twice in theatre but....I just don't know.
I like the grade but I'm more impressed with the rottentomatoes 92% right now. I'll be there opening day for this one.
What's everyone's prediction for domestics gross? I say $225 mil when all said and done. The fan in me wants it to be higher but as hanso said, 2 1/2 hours of an R movie is working against it...though lets not forget 300. If it's as entertaining as that it doesn't matter what the rating is.
This movie has a couple of things going against it. 2:41 run time, and the R rating. For me I prefer the R rating, but it might keep some people from seeing tthe movie. I don't know why people don't appreciate a long movie if it is done right. In NY I pay $11.00 per ticket. I would like to get more bang for my buck when it is worth it. In the end I think it will eclipse 200million, I am hoping for more, but I think the R rating will hurt it a little bit. Any word on what the budget was?
Not taking anything away from TDK, and Heath Ledgers performance, but in my opinion Iron Man was a better overall movie. There are parts of TDK I just cannot watch. Those parts where Christian Bale is talking as Batman just hurts. Don't get me wrong, TDK is a great movie. For my money I prefer Iron Man.
Last week's EW had the film's budget at $160 mil, or was it $130? Can't remember.
300 even though R had a shorter running time. Watchmen's cast isn't box office draw either, so that will hurt it. But like I said before, I think Znyder coming off the success of 300 and the fact the film looks awesome should get people into the theatres. Word of mouth should keep the film going strong, and I don' t think there are any films that will hurt it until Monster vs. Aliens comes out.
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I am so jealous that you got to see this already. I just want to see it more now that it got such a good review. MArch 6th can't get here fast enough.