Well the whole world seems to be watching the Watchmen. So I went to watch it. On IMAX in Melbourne. And the first thing I’d say is “save your cash – if you’re going to see it, then see it in normalvision”. It’s good, but it doesn’t make as much use of the screen as, say, The Dark Knight or Spiderman 3.
Mind you, seeing Malin Akerman pretty much naked on a screen the size of a house… She has just taken Alicia Silverstone‘s crown for “most fit bird in a superhero film that I’d really, desperately like to shag”.
Sex rating of the top totty aside, how is it? Well… it’s OK. I remember loving the graphic novel all those years ago (damn, I’m old) but the film didn’t quite conjure up the same magic. It’s not that it’s bad. Far from it. It’s an excellent adaptation and I understand why some of the original story had to be dropped. 2 hours 40 minutes is long enough – a full adaptation would be nearer three times that.
The story’s good, the pacing’s spot on, the cast really couldn’t be better, the visuals are superb, it’s nicely grisly in places, the sex scene had me wishing I was in a darkened room at home with a pause button… all well and good. But it just didn’t tingle my spine like Superman Returns or make me sit in awe like the previously mentioned Dark Knight.
It is nice and dark, though. Whereas the return of Batman took us down dimly-lit alleyways, Watchmen splashes through the sewers and digs for the secret stuff in underwear drawers. We all know Batman’s little secrets – it’s what makes him so much more interesting than any other superhero. What Watchmen does is expand that out to encompass all costumed crusaders. And it asks the questions of what happens when it all goes wrong?
I do recommend going to see the film. It’s not really a superhero film in the traditional sense. The plot is much deeper than anything else similar you’d like to compare it to. And aside from The Punisher you’re not going to see as much graphic violence. However, I do think that the best way to film it would have been as a high-budget 10-episode TV movie or similar. The original comic has a plot that really does deserve that.
In the meantime, though, this is as good an adaptation as could have been hoped for.
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I recently reread the book and enjoyed it again so I am looking forward to seeing the movie – as with all book to movie adaptations, there are always going to be parts that they can’t include but as long as there’s still a good story, I don’t mind. I really liked the Rorschach character in the book.
I saw it and while it does miss certain things from the film – mostly due to pacing (not happy of the missing explanation of the Hydrogen atom on manhattan’s head) – it was a very good effort.
it is bloody as hell though.
Weenie: Rorschach (aside from the incredibly sexy Silk Spectre II for different reasons) is by far the best character in the film, as well as the comic. Wait until you see his mask 🙂
Damo: I was impressed with the gristle. Some of it almost on a par with the likes of Hostel or Saw. Nice, and unexpected. Still… maybe I was just expecting too much. It is definitely on the list of DVD purchases once I settle down again. I’m sure there’s a wealth of extra material and cut scenes to be added in.