Backlog-- Watchmen Review (writing sample 1 of 3)

Let me start off by saying that, like many people who will see this movie on opening weekend, I went in with a love for the graphic novel and as such had an understanding that reasonably has influenced how I received it. That said, I've made an effort-- partly because of this fact-- to be as objective as possible in this review, to try and view Zack Snyder's adaptation for what it is rather than what the fan community as a whole would want it to be. But since it could have been directed by Ridley Scott and written by Roman Polanski and people STILL would have found something to bitch about because of how deeply loved and analyzed this book has been over the last quarter-century, individual opinions will of course vary.

Okay, cards on the table time: in the end, Snyder's "Watchmen" has not usurped the graphic novel. It's still as essential, intelligent and heartbreaking as it ever was, and reading it will always be a much richer experience. What Snyder HAS done, however, is to create an action film adaptation, but the kicker is that it's that rare action film that manages to be both entertaining and smart in equal parts, bolstered by top-notch art direction and generally solid casting. It retains the heart and weight of the original while creating something generally accessible to the uninitiated and does it all in just shy of 3 hours, a feat in itself considering the raw density of information that has to be filtered through.

Speaking of which, considering just HOW much had to be cut, it still feels remarkably complete and focused. Everything is edited together excellently, and from a purely technical persepective "Watchmen" is practically flawless. Despite so many details being ripped straight from the panels of the comic there's nothing really cartoony about the sets or the little touches or the muted color palatte that imitates rather nicely the scheme of Moore and Gibbon's art style. This alternate New York City feels intriguing and alien, yet still believable enough that it could well have been our own.

For the most part, I have nothing but good things to say about the cast itself. From Patrick Wilson's excellent portrayal of Dan Dreiberg to Billy Crudup's gentle-voiced, remote Dr. Manhattan and Rorshach (absolutely NAILED by Jackie Earle Haley), there's some great performances here, and the actors seem intent on evoking the humanity of the characters and bringing it across without overacting. Malin Ackerman, while still a very good Laurie, seems a little bit more (is 'docile' the right word?) calm than she was in the novel, where she was a fascinating bundle of insecurities and vague resentments, and Matthew Goode doesn't quite have the charm and quiet charisma that made Adrian Veidt such a fascinating character. He kind of just comes off as a creep, not to say that he wasn't in the original but at least he was an empathetic creep.

In fact, my only real issues with the film are admittedly minor, and partly only exist BECAUSE I was familiar with the graphic novel first. In the interest of making it a little more commerical (and because, if "300" was any indication, Snyder's into that stuff), the sex and violence has been considerably ramped up (though fortunately Snyder manages to keep the speed-ramping of his previous film to a minimum). This isn't to say that "Watchmen" didn't have those elements in it already (it certainly did), but whereas Moore and Gibbons knew when to insinuate and use less overtly violent but no less haunting imagery, Snyder revels in it, opting for much bloodier, gorier solutions to familiar situations. And other than an extended sex scene that ends up being unintentionally giggle-inducing, this stuff doesn't really drag the film down. And speaking of changes, the ending is considerably different than in the novel, though to its credit it's a bit better established throughout the course of the film and it still retains the moral ambiguity and unsettling qualities that made the original ending as effective as it was.

Ultimately, "Watchmen" isn't perfect. But for all its minor faults, it's still one of the best and most visually unique superhero films of all time, and manages to stand well enough on its own merits. Hell, once I'm done writing this I'm going to see it again, and that's pretty unprecedented. Go see it yourself, then go read the graphic novel. Either way, you'll definitely be entertained.