They said it couldn’t be done, but yet he did it. Zack Snyder took the challenge of adapting one of the most renowned graphic novels of all time into a movie. Famed for his work on the highly-artistic ‘300’, it is remarkable how close Snyder kept to the source material. Most of the movie matches frame-to-frame with the graphic novel. And transferring 12-issues to the silver screen is no easy feat, as the story was deemed by many to be far too in-depth and complex to squeeze into a single motion picture. Watchmen isn’t your average superhero movie.
Set in an alternate 1985 America, where Richard Nixon serves his umpteenth term (and hopes for more!), it is a world where costumed heroes are part and parcel of society. The US and Soviets are on the verge of a nuclear war. One of the highlights of the movie was the opening credits, which showcase the rise of the masked heroes (the Minutemen) in the 1940s. An array of scandals, disgrace and disaster led to their disbandment and we are soon introduced to the second generation that fills their shoes. This sequence was really well-done, although those unfamiliar with the graphic novel may find it a little hard to absorb in a single watch.
The story starts off with Edward Blake AKA the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) being brutally murdered. This leads to Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) to believe that the entire society of now-retired superheroes is now being targeted. Soon other members of the Watchmen are reunited, which comprise Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), Night Owl II (Patrick Wilson), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman), and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode). The use of mostly lesser-known names works wonders, as the viewer is attached to the characters, and less to the personalities playing the roles.
Dr. Manhattan, the only member with real superpowers (the other members are more `mortal’), is portrayed accurately, which also means he’s blue and naked throughout the movie (distractingly censored throughout the movie with a little bit of blur). Humanity-hating Rorschach is arguably the best character represented in the movie, thanks to the excellent portrayal by Earle Haley.
It must be warned that the movie might get a little draggy for some, due to the filmmaker’s wish to give the characters sufficient background story. A lot of detail from the graphic novel is squeezed in, and this should make the fans happy. It is only after the halfway mark does the movie pick up with the action, and Snyder does this with terrific style. His love for slow-down and speed-up sequences is rather apparent in this film. It must be warned though, that some parts have been changed, although they do not differ greatly from the original source. An interesting touch is the matching of song-to-scene, which is at times, slightly peculiar.
Watchmen is a pretty decent flick, but might find it hard to rope in non-fans due to the high-level of accuracy to the source material, and also its nature of letting the viewer decide for themselves what is right and wrong. A worthwhile watch, but make sure you’re mentally prepared for the almost three-hour long screening time.
4 out of 5 Stars
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