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WATCHMEN Zack Snyder Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan Malin Akerman Billy Crudup Patrick Wilson Jackie Earle Haley Matthew Goode Anyone who listens to my podcast will know how much I've been eagerly anticipating this release. For the longest of time Watchmen and Sin City have been my all-time favourite graphic novels. I've always viewed the plot and underlying issues as worthy rivals to most classic fiction and, as it stands, is probably the single-most impressive piece of illustrated fiction ever penned. So as you can see, a great deal of hype and expectations to be met by this film, at least on my part. The story is an incredibly complex web of events surrounding the investigation of the death of Edward Blake [Morgan], also known as The Comedian - but before addressing plot, we need to analyse the setting. In this alternate 1985, we are shown a world in which regular citizens dress up in costumes and fight crime. As far as superheroes go, there is only one real being with superpowers dubbed Dr. Manhattan [Crudup]. The very fact that he was/is an American citizen only escalates the threat of nuclear war and pushes the hands of the doomsday clock closer to midnight. Thanks to the intervention of Dr. Manhattan and The Comedian, the US wins the Vietnam War and reporters Woodward and Bernstein were assassinated before playing their part in the Watergate scandal; subsequently Nixon was re-elected for five consecutive terms. Soon enough, vigilantes and masked heroes are outlawed and forced into retirement. Following the murder of The Comedian, a costumed hero who refuses to conform to the Government proclamation takes it upon himself to investigate. Coming up with a theory that somebody is picking off masks, Rorschach [Haley] visits his old colleagues to warn them. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that The Comedian was murdered because he stumbled across a plot to seemingly destroy mankind. I could easily spend weeks drivelling on about Watchmen; it's an exceptional piece of literature and a wealth of analytical genius. As an adaptation of the graphic novel, this is so beautifully loyal. The colours, tones and look of the shots match the comic to a tee and the plot follows almost every thread right up until the last fifteen minutes - but I will get into that in a moment. As a fan of the source material, I could not have been happier with what director - Snyder - has created. There are, however, three glaring problems that need to be brought to light. Problem number one: density. As a fan of the original story, I was in no way phased by the total running time (a generous two and three quarter hours) but it still felt rather dense. There was a great deal to pack in and I was so pleased and surprised by what Snyder had managed to retain but that didn't stop the nagging feeling that members of the audience would feel a little lost or possibly overwhelmed by it all. Secondly we have the make-up which was pretty dire. Visual effects were stunning and superb and Dr. Manhattan is a realistic CG creation the likes of which have never been seen on film before but the prosthetic/aged make-up applied to some of the actors was so horrendous that it made me wonder if it was intentional, as if trying to produce something we would see in 1985 - very unfortunate. And finally a two-part complaint. First of all, I understand that a director's cut DVD/Blu-Ray has been planned which will incorporate the original ending and the comic-within-comic, Tales Of The Black Freighter. This does not excuse or explain the presence of Bubastis, Ozymandias' genetically engineered lynx. Granted, in the original ending his existence makes sense but in the film it's never addressed and as such feels like an odd and unnecessary eccentricity. The second part of my complaint is Dr. Manhattan's penis. The concept that Manhattan is distanced so much from reality that he doesn't fully understand the need for clothes means that he is almost always completely naked - and because his whang is in the comic, Snyder felt he had to put it in the film. And I think that's the crux of my complaint, Snyder has paid such close attention to the original material, that certain elements have come through that are a bit of a moot point - but this is largely nitpicking. **A veritable wealth of spoilers in this next paragraph** Many things desperately need to be addressed for both fans of the film and fans of the graphic novel. The most important change being the ending. The original ending of the graphic novel implies that Ozymandias has spent time on a secret island constructing a genetically engineered alien in the form of a hideous squid. His plan is to unleash this abomination on New York in an attempt to unite mankind against a common enemy. For the 1986/87 comic, it works perfectly but as 9/11 demonstrated, even a horrific event in one city does not unify the world. The film instead states that Ozymandias replicated and harnessed Dr. Manhattan's powers to destroy five major cities across the world. The common enemy is no longer an alien attack but an angry God. I really hate to say this but to my mind this ending works much better (let the stoning begin!). With cinema and our current economic/political climate being the way it is, this is the absolute perfect time for a Watchmen release. We are at the stage, technically, where we can successfully recreate the necessary visual effects but more importantly audiences are more than ready to accept this tale. The comic was released at a time when Superman and Spiderman were on the downturn and people were sick of these flawless heroes. All-of-a-sudden, this story is written with murder, nihilism, rape, moral flexibility and a whole heap of questions that most superhero pieces fail to answer or even address. With major successes like Iron Man, The Dark Knight and the Spiderman series, audiences are now ready for something challenging, something darker. Finally we need to address Zack Snyder. I loved the Dawn Of The Dead re-imaingnig, from that moment on I kept my eye on Snyder's career. Then it was announced that he would be heading 300 and I knew it would be a major success (and it was). So when his next project was announced I had complete faith and confidence that he would not fail me. He was loyal to the graphic novel but knew where to update and modernise, he didn't taint the source material but made it his own. He incorporated elements from the comic that will only be noticed on second/third viewings, such as the subtle inclusion of the diagonally slashed smiley faces. Then there's the acting talent. For the longest time big name actors and actresses were attached to this 'nightmare project' but I am so pleased with the choice to cast lesser-known acting talents, ensuring that the character (not the name) comes first. I must confess I frowned every now-and-then at the stiffness of Malin Akerman but as stated previously, this is just minor nitpicking. Ultimately, this film is a phenomenal treat and I am so unbelievably pleased with the finished result. For more insight into my review, please tune into Episode IX of my podcast. Release Date: 6th March 2009 The Scene To Look Out For: I've tried so very, very hard with this one but I can't narrow it down. I'm sorry. I've never been able to define one particular standout scene in the comic and I certainly can't do it here - namely because the entire body of work is so profoundly intricate and astonishing that to take it apart is to unnecessarily unravel a beautiful tapestry. I could list almost every scene with The Comedian in it but other than that, it would be a somewhat futile act. Notable Characters: Everyone needs to relate to material like this. The geekiest way to discover this is to ask, 'which character am I most like?' Having read the comic again and again I was a little horrified to discover I mostly empathised with The Comedian; on the surface, a misanthropic, moustached rapist with seemingly little-to-no care or consideration for those around him but I just saw myself. Not great, to be honest. So, I hoped and I prayed that a walking/talking Comedian would prove me wrong. Subsequently, I would like to highlight three performances. First we have the absolutely spot-on performance of Rorschach by Jackie Earle Haley. This man has captured everything the character was about to a degree that is almost intensely scary, as if the part was written for him - a tad cliché but it's true. Secondly we have Matthew Goode's portrayal of Ozymandias. I like Goode as an actor, I've always thought he was a bit of an underrated talent but when the news of him being cast in this pivotal role was aired, many nerdy little boys and girls winced at the prospect. In truth, he was one of the strongest points to the film, altering my own personal take on the character. In the comic, I always read Ozzie as a very 2D, dull, lecturer who knew everything and was a bit of a prick because of it. And yet, Goode has injected such a humanity that for the first time I completely understand and empathise with the character (something I really wasn't expecting). And finally, we have The Comedian and I'm sorry to say I still think he was an imperfect genius. Morgan played the part perfectly: every delivery, every step completely embodied the man I so thoroughly understood. The truth is, there is no one character that perfectly fits my own life, mindset or actions but if I was allowed a combination, I would say that elements of the above three make up a pretty accurate portrayal of who I am; as such, this film and those actors involved deserve a wealth of praise for not only producing a fine adaptation but for enhancing my understanding of the original source material. Highlighted Quote: "Things are tough all over, cupcake. It rains on the just and the unjust alike. The Comedian was a little bit of both.. and he always thought he would have the last laugh" In A Few Words: "Watchmen has always been one of the most amazing, challenging pieces of illustrated fiction and I'm happy to announce that the film adaptation has achieved the very same" Total Score: 
10/10Matthew Stogdon |
