"Watchmen Uppercuts the Superhero Genre!"
After languishing for a couple of decades, Alan Moore's dystopian superhero masterpiece finally arrived in theatres. Was it worth the wait? How faithful was it to the acclaimed graphic novel? The legion of questions begin there for the devout...
Zack Snyder's filmic adaption overall is great, but, not perfect as die hards will squabble with infinitum. With the graphic novel being so dense with backstory exposition, philosophical musings, numerous character arcs and bleak tone, Snyder did amazingly well in translating what many studios and directors considered an unfilmable property. Snyder's fast/slow filmed bone-crushing fight sequences, ala' 300, are evident and deliver between the condensed dialogue as seen in the early pummeling of The Comdian. The production design, attention to every detail and camera angles are spot on accurate. It's Very close to seeing the graphic novel come to life, panel for panel; about 80% faithful to it. Notably missing is the Black Freighter sub plot, but, that is understandable in order to streamline the narritive for broader audiences (it's available on dvd soon anyway). Ozymandias's background story of retracing Alexander the Great's footsteps/matching his achievements is cut too. The Comedian's paternity sublot is abbreviated as well as Silk Spectre & Dr. Manhattan's fate of Earth discourse on Mars.
These compromises are digestable, but, I had a few issues...most notable the revised ending....
******SPOILER ALERT******
In the movie, Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias pins his scheme on Dr. Manhattan via Karnak, some teleported to New York atomic contraption that wipes out millions of lives and prime real estate. I can appreciate the logic of blaming/demonizing the god-like Manhattan for wreaking the carnage, yet, exploiting his powers for the greater good of man prior dichotomy. Having said that, I Much prefer the graphic novel's ending of teleporting Ozymandias's engineered huge alien monster created on an island of hired scientists, artists & writers that he murderes subsequently. The desired effect was that a perceived alien invasion would reel us in from the brink of world war 3 and unite the world in peace. The worse than nuclear annihilation scenario effect works in either movie or book version, but, I think the alien monster (whose brain was genetically engineered from a dead psychic person)whose atomic teleportation impact included psychic shockwaves is much more creatively satisfying. As well as Ozymandias murder pyramid of everyone complicit in his machinations were more in line with the nihilistic tone of Moore's graphic novel.
The casting of mostly unknowns helped not to distract from the byzantine plotting and flashback intensive narrative. Morgan was great as the sadistic and compelling Comedian whose brutalities, later in life, reach for penance when all alone, he grapples with the enormity of loss and conspiracy to obtain peace implemented by Ozymandias. Carla Gugino as the first Silk Spectre is way Hot in her flashback scenes, but, I digress...Jackie Earle Haley as Rorshach was perfect in dramatic talent and physicality. His noir voice overs worked well to lead us down the dark rabbit hole. His unmasking and plea for death by Dr. Manhattan at the end was affecting. I hated to see him go, but, Alan Moore's choice to kill off the one character who wanted to expose the master plot and never compromised for due justice is consistent with the Watchmen's man is doomed by his savage nature ethos. At least Rorschach's death is redeemed by later newspaper publication of his journal...which resets the Doomsday Clock again.
The really dark, cerebral themes will probably alienate the broader movie-going audience that will expect a more typical, unequivocal and tidy resolution kind of movie. But, that is the point of the Watchmen graphic novel and movie...much of life resides in the gray area, controlled by the corrupt few in power who are also ruined by it.
Now, have a nice day!
Movie News
1 Comments
2 Comments