Watchmen
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Reviewing Watchmen is exceedingly difficult; does one talk only to the fanboys who know and love the graphic novel source material, go broader and tailor it to general movie fans, or try to do both and write a 20,000 word ramble? Do you include spoilers about plot points (and maybe how they differ from the source material and whether that’s a good or a bad thing) or try to keep it general? And on top of all that, the film itself is so large, so sprawling and so dense that I feel somehow wrong for discussing it only a scant few hours after I’ve seen it. This is something that requires digestion, contemplation, possibly even repeat viewings – but then there’d be no review/place for reader comments until everyone had already seen the film and was tired of talking about it with their friends. Oh, the trials and tribulations of an internet film critic…
Oh yes, but what to write. First up - how does Watchmen stand up just as a movie? Well, as mentioned above, this one is an epic. Its long - about two hours and forty minutes - and it’s packed to the brim with stuff. There’s jumps in time, shifts in tone and digressions aplenty. But all this density, if one is willing to take it on, doesn’t make the film unwieldy, but instead all that much better. It’s not light, disposable “popcorn entertainment”; this is something that demands you pay attention. Therefore, it’s probably not something that everyone will be willing to be involved in, but if it works for you it’s going to work in a big way.
Production design and art direction are the big stars here (well, except for Jackie Earle Haley and his pitch perfect portrayal of the vigilante Rorscach). This is a lovingly created world, slavishly devoted to the comic while translating it into the cinematic language in ways that even people unfamiliar with the story can appreciate. Thank God Snyder didn’t go 300 on it and use all CGI - especially because certain parts of the CGI in this film are downright spotty, as if they spent all their time, money and energy on making Dr. Manhattan look as cool and real as he does that they forgot to focus on the other CGI shots – because the tactile real-ness of the sets and props on screen do a great service to the film and to helping people enjoy it despite its at times overwhelming nature. Getting people invested in a story that flirts with both gritty realism and the unreal fantastic while being set entirely in an alternate 1985 is no small feat; it’s just not something that people can cling to as readily as the hyper-realism and modern day setting of the Bourne films or even the magical transportation an audience can get from going back to the time of mystical pirates frolicking in the Caribbean. But the world of Watchmen nonetheless sucks you in; not only is there a lot for you to get wrapped in story wise, there’s also just a lot of cool stuff for you to look at while you’re doing so.
But what to say to the fans of the seminal graphic novel upon which it was based? Well, inevitably, some magic is admittedly lost in translation. But I contend that other new magics are gained, magics one can get from cinema that they cannot get from the printed page. Alan Moore, the writer of this and many other fine graphic novels that have been adapted to film, decries filmed adaptations of his work because, among other reasons, he criticizes film’s forced perspective, i.e. using a camera to tell you what to look at and for how long when a drawing with text instead presents an image and lets you dissect it and focus on whatever you choose. And this is indeed a problem in some instances when it comes to Watchmen; some scenes just don’t play as well when brought to life. But I also say that some things that come off as ridiculous in the film were also ridiculous in the graphic novel - their ridiculousness just wasn’t illuminated in that arena, but in live action it becomes easier to see.
And as opposed to some anticipated haters of this adaptation, I do not believe that every single thing that doesn’t work was necessarily the fault of the adapters for the ways they chose to change the material (often minute, but occasionally bigger) when they adapted it. Is Watchmen a flawless gem, the best movie ever made? No, but I say that it isn’t not because of the filmmakers but more often because of Watchmen itself. And trust me, I love me some Watchmen, in any and all versions. But there isn’t much I can find to fault director Zack Snyder or any of his cohorts about. They have done their damnedest to lovingly adapt something as faithfully as they can, even if perhaps there are some things about it that don't lend well to being adapted. Any changes made seem to have been made to try and make the story work better as a movie. If something about the film isn't an unqualified success, it’s senseless to lay blame because there is no lack of love and expert craftsmanship here. As dense and ambitious (while still being a fine piece of both entertainment and art) as it is, anyone who harps on what’s wrong with Watchmen the movie is just a cynic who is ignoring all that is right.
- Jeff Latta
Comments
bump?
I'm just trying to get this on the main page index so people comment, but I suppose I should say something....alright, I said it in the review but let me say it again - Jackie Earle Haley is the shit! I was not sold on his casting at all, all the way up through the trailers and all, but godamn was he cool. When he says "you just dont get it, I'm not stuck in here with you, you're stuck in here with me!!!" the entire audience burst into applause, myself included.
San Luis Obispo, CA
yea i didn't even see that the review was up yet but was wondering if you saw the film. I need to go check it out, so I will post my thoughts afterwards prolly like everyone else/
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PA
Good review! Yeah I enjoyed the movie very much. I also enjoyed the music, not only the soundtrack but the score was brilliant. Real dreamy, ambient stuff. Made a few of the scenes more emotional than they could have been.
Overall I think the acting was great and they portrayed the characters in the novel very well. Especially Rorschach and Nightowl. Ozy...he was...okay I guess. The opening fight scene was also SPECTACULAR. I did not expect it to go so long and be so brutal.
Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)
West Haven, CT
I did love the opening scene.
This movie was okay.
They did a good job.
There was enough good and a bunch of flaws not just because they skipped some graphic novel but because they added some boring parts.
I saw a few people get up and leave an hour in. I heard people leaving the movie saying "It was sort of whack", "Kind of boring", "Good", "Awesome", "Kind of slow", "didn't read the book, but plan on reading it now".
Good review.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
PA
A lot of people that I know that DIDN'T read the book were like "WOW, that was awesome..." and then proceeded to asking me 20598 questions hahaha. I'm like "you should have read it". Honestly as I was watching the film I felt that if I didn't read it, with the transitions and all, I would have been lost at a lot of parts. The jumping from past to present and such.
Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)
Norman, OK
Hated it.
I think it was a case of everyone trying
to make it a faithful adaptation of the graphic novel, and in doing so,
forgetting to make it a good movie.
-The pacing was horrendous.
-It was far too long.
-I didn't find myself caring about any of the characters.
-The gratuitous, over the top violence was completely unnecessary and just downright disgusting.
-The fight scenes were never compelling, dramatic, or interesting in
the slightest. And the endless slow motion just made them worse.
-We've seen the straightforward superhero type stuff dozens of times
before (especially most of the prison sequence and the final fight).
-The soundtrack was awful, especially the Simon and Garfunkel during
the funeral and the Leonard Cohen during the sex scene. The songs just
didn't fit in and took you out of the film.
-Malin Akerman simply cannot act.
There were small elements of the film I did like (like the swinging
door scene when Rorschach killed Danny Woodburn and the opening credits), and I definitely
think it could have been a good movie if they had worried far less
about being faithful to novel and pleasing the stupid fanboys.
No, I haven't read the graphic novel, but that shouldn't matter. A good movie is a good movie, and Watchmen clearly wasn't a good movie.
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Not gonna argue cos I don't feel like it, but I read the graphic novel and really enjoyed the movie. The end.
"(Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Alright alright alright! (Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Ah, ah, ah, ah! (Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Alright alright alright! (Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Ah, ah, ah, ah!"
I enjoyed this flick, but it's silly and kinda lazy to suggest that people who didn't are just cynics looking for something to hate. Obviously tons of love and effort were poured into it, and it's an incredibly complex film--which makes me happy in itself--but that doesn't wholly excuse the problems. The most consistent issue I had with it was how Snyder seemed to be trying so hard to capture graphic novel's edginess, and as a result sometimes focused too long on the bloody or sexed-up moments and not long enough on those where pausing for an extra second might have added depth or insight or humanity--in short, that intangible something that turns good movies into great ones. Also, I didn't think Wilson or Ackerman pulled off the complexity of their roles. But everything else was pretty good, and I totally respect its makers for so brazenly swinging for the fence rather than watering the story down.
Oh, and I agree that some of the song choices were questionable. Parts of score were quite nice, though.
Beer Blog
well i fully understand some people not liking it, i wasnt trying to say anyone who didnt like it for whatever reason was a cynic blah blah last sentence i wrote, more just the people who didnt like it for the stuff i was talking about in the review. i could see lots of reasons why a person wouldn't like it.
oh yeah, and on the topic of music, that song that played during dr. manhattans origin was awesome.
Jersey / Raleigh
yo, how badass was the JFK scene...one thing i kinda didnt like was that rorschach was the size of a 12 year old girl...i know hes small in the book, but come on.
re: cameron - looks like we got ourselves a new "my opinion is a fact" guy....good on you, brother, its been a while since we've had one of your ilk around here, always keeps the discussions interesting....you never went by the username sins of arcadia by any chance?
West Haven, CT
He was build like a 15 year old boy thank you very much.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Norman, OK
I used to go by HammeroftheGods before the board switched over.
And I'm certainly not trying to present my opinion as fact. Those were just my feelings on the film. Apologies if you think I should have put IMO before every statement.
nah i wasnt trying to disrespect, just poking fun. its always a little weird when a person responds to a positive review with something definitive sounding like "this clearly wasnt a good movie." but you didnt say "and jeff's an idiot for thinking otherwise" as the aforementioned sins of arcadia was fond of doing, so i got no beef with you.
oh yeah, and we're definitely in agreement that malin akerman can't act. man did she suck.
Toronto
oh boy. just got back from this. terrible.
regardless of the fact that it doesn't come close to matching the comic, it just wasn't good as a standalone movie. The fight scenes were AWESOME and Malin Akerman is my new crush, but other than that it just wasn't good. There were some really poor acting performances. Everyone other than Jackie Haley was bad.
PA
Can't wait to see this again. Trying to go Tuesday night with some friends.
Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)
West Haven, CT
You just can't take such a epic comic and try to convert it to a big movie without changing enough to piss off the fan boys and keeping it too true alienating the audience.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
PA
I read the novel and fucking loved it. If you REALLY expected them to make this movie exactly the way you wanted, you shouldn't have even went
A graphic novel and a movie are two completely different things, and with that I think Snyder did a pretty damn good job.
Plus it wasn't even the entire movie. Apparently in July they'll be rereleasing the full film in theaters.
Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)
West Haven, CT
It was cut, and they added a bunch of new stuff for the movie.
When it comes out on DVD their will be what they cut out.
I didn't expect them to do anything.
They did what I knew they'd do, add a bunch of Hollywood awesome scenes and take out the heart and soul of the movie.
Give enough but not the whole thing, leaving it to movie limbo.
It was alright. Not great, not movie of the year material.
Maybe the best comic ever done, not the best comic movie ever done.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
Utah
You got to admit Mike, that its a hell of a lot better then other Alan Moore adaptions. Tis true, to get the true heart and soul, you need to read it. But could you really ask for more? At least its not another League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Jersey / Raleigh
From Hell was pretty good
West Haven, CT
Yeah I refuse to watch the movies they make out of his stuff.
From Hell was good. They did have good actors.
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
West Haven, CT
You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.
San Luis Obispo, CA
Malin is the best part about Harold and Kumar Goto White Kastle. good lord she was smokin as Freakshow's wife.
Ask me anything http://formspring.me/aarontroy
Citadel Artist Management
Decoymusic.com (CEO/Editor)
Blue Reef Design Studios (Web Design)