Watchmen: The Latest Distraction

So - the economy is still on the verge of collapse, everyone I know is nervous about employment and 401Ks - the future is, as always, uncertain and anxiety-producing in ways that seem newly frightening.

But the big topic of discussion this week, of course, is Watchmen, the epic comic-book movie adapted by Zack (300) Snyder from the iconic graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

The debates will be multiple and hard-fought: Is it faithful enough to the original? Too faithful? Is its violence outrageously graphic? Is it as good as its rabid fan base hopes? Nay, make that: Is it as excellent? As transcendent? As transporting? Or is it a nihilistic bit of pop garbage meant to pollute the minds of teens and young adults?

Who cares?

That's what I hate about this moment in time: There's no such thing as simply seeing a movie like this and enjoying it on its merits. The hype machine has been pumping since before Snyder rolled the first camera. It's been building to a deafening roar since the first of the year. You can't escape it - it's impossible not to get burned out on it, whether you're interested in the subject or not.

There are so few surprises anymore at the movies. That's my theory about why Slumdog Millionaire was such a hit (aside from its obvious feel-good/uplift appeal): that it came out of nowhere, with no stars. It was an irresistible surprise that had the good fortune to take on the momentum of a snowball rolling downhill.

Watchmen, however, comes with prefabricated momentum - it's practically mandated. But this is still a movie that's bound to polarize the audience.

So I'll admit: I was happily surprised. This movie delivers as a splashy, bloody comic-book adventure that stays true to its roots without being slavish about it (despite numerous images taken directly from the comic's pages). It's both headlong and thought-provoking, attacking the notion of heroism and the role of the hero in society in ways that The Dark Knight only talked about.

For the rest of this review, click here to go to my website, www.hollywoodandfine.com.

Comments

[cdub1991]

It's an expensive film that's going to have to make most of its money from people who have probably never heard of the graphic novel. And it has to make it's money in March. This is just standard marketing for a film of this scale--no more and no less. It's how 300 managed to succeed.

[drkazmd65]

I Read the Watchmen Graphic Novel (borrowed a copy from a fellow Grad Student) back in the 1990s,... and enjoyed it immensely,­... I will no doubt see this movie at some point, although perhaps not in the theater.

I just hope that they did as good a job with Watchmen as was done a few years back with 'V for Vandetta'. Hugo Weaving should have been nominated for a best actor for his role in that movie. I've never seen a better acting job,... and he wore a mask the whole time. Acting ONLY with his words, his voice, and his body language. Supurb!

No matter what,... the Moore book was one of the best of that Genre ever I read. Onlythe Neil Gaiman 'Sandman' series was better written to my viewpoint than 'Watchmen'

[CynAnne]

I must disagree slightly, Marshall..­talk about Watchmen ever making it to film has been 'buzzed about' for years, with the "No way they can transfer this faithfully" and the "We can dream, ok?" camps trading back n' forth, pro-and-con. And I think the reason the hype is huge isn't just commercial, but legions of fans realizing that we've waited so long, and now it's actually here..well­, WOW! =[} ...

[Theodore Trout]

The Secret Hidden Riddle of Alan Moore's 'Watchmen' Revealed !!!
Google WATCHMEN UNMASKED.

'We, in this generation, in this nation, are by destiny, rather than by choice, the Watchmen on the walls of World Freedom'".
JFK's intended speech, Nov. 22, 1963

[PW1206]

I've read the book 30 or 40 times (Impressive? Sad? You be the judge), and I've yet to be burned out on the hype. Wait, let me rephrase that, I've yet to experience much hype, so I'm not sick of it. Admittedly, I'm not a professional film critic, but I am a professional geek, so does that just mean I'm not visiting the right webpages, seeing the right TV shows, going to the right movies, reading the right magazines?

I hear the movie's good and faithful to its source material; it better be, for it's one of the best pieces of literature (no matter the format) that anyone's written in the last 30 years.

I'm still excited.

[CeeJayQ]

When you say that "admittedly, I'm not a professional film critic," I think you're discounting the merits of your own experiences. I don't know for sure, but I would be willing to bet that Marshall Fine has not read the book 30 or 40 times, like you have. In this case, you are the specialist. You know the ins and outs and understand the minutiae of the Watchmen better than the paid "critic." While Fine may be an expert in Film, your understanding of the source material is what will influence your experience with the film. Will you hate it because it doesn't convey all of the themes of the graphic novel or love it because it remains faithful to the source? I know Fine enjoyed the film, but his enjoyment is completely different than yours may or may not be.

What I don't like about Fine's review is that he starts by saying that the "hypemachine" will undoubtedly affect his enjoyment of the film. He makes it sound as if the Watchmen isn't deserving of the hype, and that the hype is prefabricated by marketing execs. Admittedly, much of that hype did come from marketing executives, but the Watchmen is the most celebrated graphic novel of all time. It is often credited for bringing modern comic book stories into a legitimate literary sphere. The hype needed to be prefabricated for the mainstream, but for the faithful, Watchmen hype was on high since the end of the last panel.

[Fudgefase]

Well I haven't read the comic book, so I'm just looking forward to it, full stop!

[NoOneSpecial]

** The hype machine has been pumping since before Snyder rolled the first camera. It's been building to a deafening roar since the first of the year. You can't escape it - it's impossible not to get burned out on it, whether you're interested in the subject or not. **

Yes, you can escape it; just don't pay attention.

When much anticipated movies like this starts out, I might tune into web sites and info very early on to see if production seems to be going the right direction according to "conventional wisdom".

But not long past the first teaser trailer, it becomes incredibly important to just ignore everything else but the official trailers until the movie is about to hit the screens.

Then go ahead and look at critics' reviews, maybe some audience reviews if you don't plan on seeing it the first weekend.

It really does work.

You miss all the hype. You go into the movie with a much less addled brain full of expectations.