Watchmen

After much, poking and prodding, from various members of my inner circle, I have decided to write some movie reviews and post them for kicks.  I am forewarning everyone who reads this that there are sure to plenty of grammatical errors in these reviews and possibly inflammatory opinions.  Without further ado, my very first review, Watchmen.

Watchmen

Director: Zach Snyder

Starring: Billy Crudup, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Mathew Goode

Before I begin my review I must add a disclaimer that I was a HUGE fan of Alan Moore’s graphic novel and believe it to be a near perfect piece of literature.  Set in an alternate 1985 where Nixon was elected to a third term and costumed heroes are real,  Moore’s novel revolutionized the genre of graphic novels by digging deeply into characters with flawed psychological profiles.  When I first heard that they were going to attempt to bring this masterpiece to the screen, I was concerned.  The novel relies heavily, in my opinion, on the text sections that pepper the various chapters in Watchmen and I was unsure how they would integrate these parts.  To me the text gives the reader insight into the beginnings of “super heroes” and helps readers to connect with the older generation that gave way to the watchmen, as well as serving as a sort of origin story.  While these sections are missing from the film director Zach Snyder compensates by including parts of the stories into the opening sequence.  This sequence worked flawlessly and was probably one of the most enjoyable parts in the entire film, not only does it convey the general ideas of the text, but it introduces the unfamiliar audience members to the alternate world of watchmen.  I particularly enjoyed the use of Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changing, as it served the scene perfectly.  The real disappoint is that the film rarely rises to the level of this sequence again.  

The feeling the movie gave me was one that was simultaneously bloated and yet missing pieces.  Fans of the graphic novel will notice that the black freighter/newspaper vendor scenes are missing, that Night Owl I is significantly marginalized, that Captain Metropolis is removed from a rather crucial scene, and the ending is changed.  These changes are not earth shattering but they are disappointing.  Several scenes seemed perfect, while others left something to be desired and the same goes for the performances.  Scenes like the Comedian’s death, the origins of Dr. Manhattan, and most involving Rorschach or Comedian were engaging and entertaining, showcasing Snyder’s ability to take the source material and infuse his signature style.  The film, however, is also damaged by the very same style.  Snyder goes over the top with the action sequences leading rather insignificant fights to become bone-shattering spectacles, that detract from the flow of the film and are unnecessarily brutal.  The cast of the film is fairly decent with some of the actors proving to be gems and other duds.  Jeffery Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup, and Jackie Earle Haley’s turns as Comedian, Dr. Manhattan, and Rorschach respectively are fantastic.  Morgan nails the Comedian, able to be likeable in one scene and detestable in the next.  Crudup’s even tone as Dr. Manhattan works out beautifully, making the character believable.  Haley proves to be up to the challenge in playing Rorschach, with my only qualm being that the Batman-esque deep voice becomes grating, at times.  Akerman and Goode seem out of place in their roles, Akerman is a serious distraction in the majority of her scenes, with her lines of dialogue feeling forced and her acting wooden.  Goode’s acting is fine, but his portrayal of Ozymandius leaves something to be desired as he neither looks or acts like the novel’s version. 

                While the film is not perfect it is an enjoyable, if flawed, excursion.  Snyder tries his best to stay true to the source material, with much of the dialogue and shots lifted straight from the novel.  He may, in fact, have stayed too faithful to the novel as it feels like watching an inferior version of the novel projected on screen.  This will leave fans of the novel dissappointed due to the lack of certain parts and Snyder’s overbearing style and newcomers scrambling to pick up all the information that is thrown at them.  Some scenes feel fragmented due to this slavishly faithful adaptation, as Snyder leaves even the chronological order of the novel intact.  While that back and forth style works for graphic novels, it hurts the film in the end.  Snyder's style isn't all bad, the film jumps off the screen via his visual flair and is engrossing while it is playing, something that cannot be said for many films. What Watchmen ends up being is, most likely, the best anyone could hope for, the source material is not butchered for filming purposes, but the story is also not fully represented.  The best advice I can give, read the novel first, if you enjoy it, check out the movie, it definitely deserves a viewing.  

Score: 7.5/10