WatchmenRated R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language
2 hours 46 minutes
Adapted by David Hayter and Alex Tse from the graphic novel
Directed by Zach Snyder
Starring Jackie Earl Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, and Billy Crudup
* * * ½ (Good/Great)
I never understood the label “Best Graphic Novel of All Time” attached to Watchmen. It was good – great, even – but still probably not cracking my top ten. So, this in mind, while expecting great things from the movie, I had less invested in this film than some of the more die-hard comic fans.
Did I enjoy the movie? Yes. Were there parts that were amazing, and parts that were cringe worthy? Yes, and yes. Would I recommend Watchmen? Yes, but it is not for everyone.
What didn’t work for me were the more superhero-y aspects of the film, which sounds strange considering the movie is a deconstruction of superheroes. I thoroughly enjoyed the parts of the movie featuring Rorschach and the Comedian, and even the excessively wooden Dr. Manhattan was not as glaringly cartoony and fake as the segments featuring the remaining cast of heroes. All of my favorite movies based on comic books (e.g. The Dark Knight, Spiderman 2, Superman Returns, and Iron Man) more seamlessly integrated the comic book aspects into reality. And I believe that is what made them as great as they were.
There is violence, gore (more than you expect to find outside of a horror film), and a bit of sex – all of the adult trappings of an R-rated film – but none of that changes the fact that this is a film tailor-made to please only a small audience – its appeal (due largely to the massive marketing push and phenomenal success of comic book movies in 2008) is not as all-encompassing as advertised, or hyped.
As a comics fan, familiar with the source material and the countless other stories of similar natures and themes, I can enjoy this movie for what it is: just another good – maybe great – look at the ugly, tragic, hopeful, and heroic lives of heroes. Will the average movie patron see the same? I don’t know. I’m so far removed from “average” when it comes to comic books and movie adaptations that I only see through comic panel-tinted glasses.
All that said, the opening credits are a lot of fun, and Haley’s Rorschach steals every scene. If you are intrigued by previews, and have the chunk of time to spend (and a tolerance for the harder R), there are worse ways to get a fix of superheroes in all their messiness.
2 comments:
something that stands out to me about Watchmen is the amazing character development; they do a great job making each person in that movie a whole, unique person
Characterization is a strong point of the graphic novel, and they do a pretty good job of it in the movie. Having just seen the movie again yesterday for the 2nd time, it doesn't bother (bore) more as much as it did originally. It does retain much of the "chapter" feel from the graphic novel - where there is a specific focus on one individual character at a time.
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