Rating of
3/4
Watchmen: Too Much of a Good Thing
Chris Kavan - wrote on 03/08/09
One of my most anticipated movie in a long time. Watchmen is, to date, the best graphic novel I have read. The good news about Watchmen is that Zack Snyder has created an almost pitch-perfect film that captures the graphic novel in all its glory. The bad news is that Zack Snyder has created an almost pitch-perfect film that captures the graphic novel in all its glory.
What I mean is that when you're reading Watchmen, it feels different than when you're watching Watchmen. Certain elements don't translate as well, and at nearly 3 hours, this is one time when maybe eliminating a few things would have been better (even at the expense of making some fanboys, perhaps myself included, a little miffed).
First, the good. Jackie Earle Haley and Billy Crudup pretty much steal the show as Rorschach (aka Walter Kovacs) and Dr. Manhattan. Moran has that gravelly voice that even with an ever-shifting mask, you feel the power, and madness, come though. As a pretty much CGI Dr. Manhattan, Billy Crudup still manages to make him a god-like being coming to terms with himself while he's detaching himself from humanity. I could have done with less full-frontal blue nudity, but I guess a god-like being losing his humanity has little need for pants.
Anytime they're on stage, Watchmen feels great. My favorite scenes include Rorschach in prison, with the psychiatrist, egging on a pint-sized fellow inmate and his eventual freedom. Likewise, Dr. Manhattan's love scene and musings on Mars are humorous and sublime.
Also good - the use of music, from Bob Dylan to Simon and Garfunkel, along with some 80s hits, the musical selections hit the right tone. The opening, told in a series of still photos to Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin"" has to be one of my favorite film openings.
The pretty good: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the comedian, especially in flashbacks, play a pretty mean bastard. Carla Gugino, who isn't onscreen nearly enough, is good as the original Silk Spectre. Matthew Goode is a decent Ozymandias (aka Adrian Veidt). All three make the most of their roles, even if they don't have as much of an impact.
Many people might complain that the ending has been changed, but I for one think the way it ends, while it feels a bit rushed, works out better than how the graphic novel depicted it. Rabid fanboys may disagree with me, but deep down, they know it's better this way too.
The bad: Malin Akerman and Patrick Wilson as Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl. The weakest of the characters have some of the most screen time yet have the least impact. The onscreen duo never clicks, so their romance never works.
Fight scenes: since Dr. Manhattan is really the only man with super powers, some of the outlandish fight scenes feel unnecessary. Broken bones, shattered faces, punching through walls - for normal people playing dress up, they suddenly develop extra powerful fighting moves. I suppose you could channel some super Zen kung-fu stuff, but even adrenaline will only get you so far.
So many flashbacks - I know many were necessary, but cutting back a little might have made the film a bit smoothing. And while taking the dialogue straight from the graphic novel might seem like a great idea, it doesn't always work - especially with some of Rorschach's lines and journal entries. I know being true to the novel will please many, but line-by-line reading gets a bit boring at times.
In the end, despite my anticipation, I knew Watchmen would not live up to my expectations. While I think the film truly captured the spirit of the graphic novel, the problem for once is that it tries to be too much like the source material. It just goes to show there is no such thing as a perfect adaptation. Hardcore fans like myself will probably approve, but casual comic book fans and regular movie goers will probably be disappointed.
