Watchmen: Who's Watching The Watchmen?
From the moment we see The Comedian's blood streak across his seventies Happy Face button, we know that the movie version of Watchmen and its caretakers were going to be as respectful as possible to the vision of the original comic miniseries. Based on one of the most collected and memorable comic book runs in history, the movie Watchmen tries to be all things cosmic and ambiguously moral to all of us unactualized and imperfect people, and it succeeds on most fronts. But unlike the thought-provoking Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins 1986 creation that demanded one's imagination stretch beyond a page of panels, this thoroughly-engaging incarnation of Warner's DC Comics property attempts to achieve that level of examination through a more stylized, literal approach.
For instance, let's look at our team of "masks": When we see the overly-evolved Doctor Manhattan (an agent of the government since a 1959 lab accident transformed him), he is blue, shimmering, and godlike, with some of the most artistically-filmed/CGI effects (and full frontal male nudity) ever computerized. The Comedian is played by actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan as patriotic, but nihilistic and despicable with almost no redeeming qualities, documented in the opening sequence in which he is established as the JFK trigger-man (we'll get to the fun historical anomalies in the next paragraph). A twist from later in the movie (in the comics, it was issue number nine) almost puts him in the Big Lug category -- though any empathy is nuked by his rape attempt and multiple, out-of-control shooting-sprees. (Well, this isn't Stanley Kramer's Bless The Beasts & Children.) Rorschach (Walter Kovacs, played by Jackie Earle Haley) is a delightful, noir antihero whose endorsable, brutal violence has us cheering with every act of commendable vengeance. There's Nite Owl (Dan Dreiberg, played by Patrick Wilson), the lovable, retired, slightly pot-bellied hero who always is trying to do right in a world that's so wrong. The Silk Spectre (daughter Laurie of the original Silk Spectre, Sally Jupiter) is as hot and bangs-layered as this film requires; actor Malin Akerman plays her as sensual and tough, her character discovering a mysterious past that we only learn about in the film's last half-hour. Her even temperament serves as a ground for Manhattan and a spark for Nite Owl. That brings us to the only real cartoonish figure in this movie, Ozymandias, the self-outted "mask"-cum-corporate multi-billionaire, Adrian Veight, whose preciousness and sanctimony are reeled-in, thankfully, by director Zack Snyder and some self-restraint by British actor, Matthew Goode.
For much of the movie, a Sin City-esque rain washes over a dystopian, mid-'80s New York City whose World Trade Center's twin towers control a skyline filled with Veight-logo'd zeppelins and his own corporate high-riser. The city hates its "heroes," mostly because of The Comedian's non-discriminating assaults on both villains and innocent citizens, and Doctor Manhattan's omnipotence. On one occasion, Nite Owl -- the movie's sanity compass -- confronts Comedian/Edward Blake on his aggression; Blake justifies what he is doing as the fulfillment of the American dream. Of course, this is a universe where Nixon was elected five times, we won The Vietnam War (thanks to Doctor Manhattan's intervention, accompanied onscreen by an Apocalypse Now nod and Wagner's "Ride Of The Valkyries"), Russia and the US threaten nuclear exchanges over Afghanistan, and Ronald Reagan (differing from the comic's other "RR" reference) runs for president in 1988. The movie exhibits about four world views, touching on pacifism, militarism, evolutionism, and interventionism.
We are given a back history of our "heroes," one that involves The Comedian's original team that evolved into its next generation, until the "Keene Act," a law barring "masks" from crime-fighting, was instituted years later. Throughout, we're treated to a few non-linear visits to the group's past, plus the main event that regroups the Watchemen -- Blake's assassination -- that triggers relationship estrangements and realignments, and a new call-to-arms for certain members of the old team. The overall violence is an eight out of ten, the explosions would make Michael Bay proud, and the occasional sex scenes are played naturally by the aging crew with just one slightly deviant scene in which two Doctor Manhattans pleasure Laurie as a third is working in the lab. That brings us back to Manhattan's full frontal nudity -- now times three. The visual probably will make some a tiny bit uncomfortable seeing that much of Billy Crudup's junk.
For the uninitiated, when creating the original Watchmen comic book's characters, Moore and company used a couple of DC's Charleton Comics heroes as archetypes. For example, Nite Owl is based loosely on The Blue Beetle, and Doctor Manhattan borrowed a bit from Captain Atom. And there is the politics of the era which gets visited and flogged by spooferies of Richard Nixon, Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, and Henry Kissenger, with Pat Buchanan, Eleanor Clift and John McLaughlin in a light send-up of the latter's famous Sunday morning talk show, The McLaughlin Group. Even though scenes push the envelope a little with these characters' over-pancaked make-up and wardrobe choices, the approach is not really irreverent, just kind of funny. To flesh out details, we also get quick visits from Watchmen's supporting cast, such as Laurence Schexnayder, Dr. Malcolm Long, and Big Figure.
Overall, comicdom probably will embrace this movie, but its critics are going to compare it to The Dark Knight, Iron Man and Sin City , though it would be unfair to use those familiar templates. This kind of film hasn't been done before, it has no clear "right" or "wrong," that, even in current Batman movies, still is very well-defined. Also, it's pretty refreshing to see a "superhero" movie with no superheroes -- well, there is one, the omniscient Doctor Manhattan. But he is so powerful and above human logic that the terms "hero" and "super" are inadequate to describe what he really is. Watchmen purists, whose expectations will be off the chart, shouldn't be too disappointed because whatever scenes seem to be omitted (especially the Halloween murder of the original Nite Owl, Hollis Mason) most likely will be included on a planned four hour or so special version whose DVD release is rumored to be nothing short of The Lord Of The Rings expansions.
Finally, its soundtrack was a real surprise. Instead of any predictable slammy technobeats, the film featured random, but effective, familiar songs that accented each scene perfectly. We're given Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" (sans daughter Natalie, of course), Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" (well, duh), KC & The Sunshine Band's "I'm Your Boogie Man," and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (with that artist's "First We Take Manhattan" sung over the end credits). But the most touching use of songs in the film were Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds Of Silence" over a funeral scene, and Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" over an historical recap sequence. The soundtrack will be available March 3rd, the same week the movie is released, that date being March 6th. And for those still craving more, you can run out and buy the "absolute edition" of Watchmen, the graphic novel, that includes additional sketches, and the whole shebang. But focusing back on this mythic movie, on every level, it will demand your attention and intelligence as it entertains; it's sophisticated and sensationally sophomoric; and for those just watching Watchmen for the Watchmen without any expectations or knowledge of the comic's storyline or historical importance, this really will be a blast.
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Let's see....BOOGIE NIGHTS? Hello Mr Reviewer. Did you do ANY fact checking or listen to the music? It was BOOGIE MAN by KC and the Sunshine Band!!!
Boogie Nights is a completely different song done by HEATWAVE. I hate when someone writes a credible sounding review and then screws it up at the end with blantantly wrong facts.
I still don't know what I think about the movie. It is WAY TOO SHORT, but it does hit some pretty high points to those who know the GN. The pansys at the studio should have backed off and let them go the 3 hrs plus. How they run a trailer clip SHOWING Nigh Owl 1 getting murdered and then clip it from the movie makes ZERO sense
Actually, it's "I'm Your Boogie Man"!
"That brings us back to Manhattan's full frontal nudity -- now times three. The visual probably will make some a tiny bit uncomfortable seeing that much of Billy Crudup's junk. "
That always cracks me up, how men get uncomfortable seeing other men naked. Well, I say it's about time we had some more male nudity in movies! I'm sick of only seeing naked actresses.
I hear Patrick Wilson gets naked in it, too. He's not afraid to show off that gorgeous body of his.
Yeah! More male nudity! Just warn me ahead of time... ;)
While I expect to enjoy the movie (although I always hate it when they change the endings such as was done to Rising Sun to protect Japanese delicate sensibilities) I do not expect it to be embraced by the general public.
It is far too dark, violent and it's moralities are all over the place.
As stated by others DO NOT TAKE THE KIDDIES.
The original graphic novel of which I own both the serialized comics and the single bound edition, was something I read several times and was struck by how bleak the storyline was and thinking, was this how real superheroes would be treated?
And there is something else, none of them, with an exception, are actually people with super powers. and that is something that the public won't like.
Cult flick in my opinion and one I am going go see.
But I don't hold out for it being a huge commercial success although I hope I am wrong.
Yup, don't take the kiddies, and the only "superpowers" are with Doctor Manhattan. Personally, I think it'll do just fine, and it's genuinely entertaining..
I think there's hope. Trailers in front of a near-billion-dollar blockbuster (TDK) has to have helped, and I've seen a Watchmen commercial during much of prime-time.
Besides, Batman and Iron Man aren't technically characters with super powers either. They just do fantastic things. Spider-man and the X-Men, yes, but this year showed that those who are ingenious get as much or more respect than, say, the second coming of Superman (which kind of fizzled).
And being rated R might actually help. I remember when Jaws came out, and people said its R rating would keep the teenagers away. What they didn't bank on is that, in some instances, keeping curious kids away from a movie by giving it an R rating is like sprinkling sugar on a picnic to ward off the ants.
I bet the R will have little effect, and right, if anything, it makes it more attractive in this ultraviolent case.
Jaws was rated PG
Thanks for repeating my warning to parents: DO NOT TAKE THE KIDS! I'd hate to see what would happen to kids who see Rorschach's origin story. They'd need therapy for the rest of their childhood!
If a parent is DUMB enough to take a child to a Rated R movie deserves everything they get. That's why its rated R - 17 NOT ADMITTED WITHOUT PARENT. Attempted rape and 30 foot dongs are not something a parent should be dumb enough to take their kid to see.
If a parent is DUMB enough to take a child to a Rated R movie they deserve everything they get. That's why its rated R - 17 NOT ADMITTED WITHOUT PARENT. Attempted rape and 30 foot dongs are not something a parent should be dumb enough to take their kid to see.
One of the aspects of the graphic novel that always caught me was the thought that Dr. Manhattan, according to Moore's tome, might very well be OUR god. I'm curious to see if that makes the final cut.
MINOR SPOILER (BUT PROBABLY ONLY OF THE BOOK): When Jon begins to leave a particular scene, one of the characters asks where he'll go. He responds by saying he's going to see if there's other life somewhere before leaving with "Perhaps I'll create some."
Based on that exchange, I would submit that the Doctor would not be interested in a world that simply repeats what he has already seen and experienced. Which means he's more likely to create an environment where a) super-heroes don't exist; b) America doesn't win Viet Nam; and c) Nixon never makes it past his first reelection. Why? Just to see how it all unfolds from there.
We are all living in the shadow of Dr. Manhattan. That's all I'm saying. :)
Man, you have this novel down! I don't want to give away any more points to the movie, the ones I covered were no surprises for anyone. But let's just say you'll probably like Manhattan's fate...
Not only did I read each installment multiple times while it was initially being published, I have the leatherbound edition with script pages and notes between Moore and Gibbons, as well as the European covers (which they made into posters and standees for the film) and probably read that cover-to-cover at least once a year for the last 20 years.
Friends and I often said that anything less than a 12-episode series on HBO or something wouldn't do it justice, but I figure the extended DVD will have 90% of what we were hoping for, even if the initial film release doesn't cover it all.
The graphic novel, WATCHMEN, was named in TIME magazine's 2005 list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present." Some of it's themes have beene borrowed over the years by THE INCREDIBLES, LOST, and HEROES. Further, when Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons' WATCHMEN debuted in 1986 it was one of the first comic books to be set in "the real world," something commonplace now but not as much then. WATCHMEN, along with Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and a few predecessors like Bill WIllingham's ELEMENTALS and Moore's own MIRACLEMAN series and V FOR VENDETTA, were the first comic books to integrate politics, sexual peccadilloes and realistic consequences of physical violence into the medium.
It should also be mentioned that the producers have changed the ending from the bookt which I won't spoil here but since Mr Rogogna claims that "overall, comicdom probably will embrace this movie," I'd like to add that, yes, but a large faction of us are disappointed over said change and the book's author, Alan Moore, has asked his name be removed from the movie and has refused all money for it.
It should also be noted that if you are thinking about taking the kids, don't. This is a very violent, grim take on superheroes. It's level of violence and psychological disturbance makes THE DARK KNIGHT look like The Teletubbies. I'm not kidding.
It's a bit rough, maybe I shoulda mentioned that. Here's one that the "r" rating is a "hard" r...
I think it should be noted that Alan Moore would not have had his name on ANY adaptation of the novel, not just this one.
Watchmen coming out within a year of the Dark Knight seems like a weird dream. I read both stories in their individual editions as they came out between 1986 and 1987, and they both had incredible influence on my taste in art and storytelling for the rest of my adult life. Granted, The Dark Knight bares little resemblence to "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," but I would submit that Ledger's Joker is every bit the departure from all other filmed attempts at bringing the character to life as Frank Miller's Joker differed from all the comics that came before that ("Dar-ling!").
I know there are going to be elements of disappointment (I thought sure I saw a brief glimpse of Hollis being assaulted by the Knot Tops), but it's already proven to be the most direct adaptation fans could have hoped for, so I'll give Snyder the benefit of the doubt that he literally did the best he could.
Now if I can just avoid being hit by a bus for the next 2 weeks...
It is terrific, I can't wait to see how fans react!!
I'm not a purist, so I'm glad they changed the ending. It was the weakest part of the original story. I'm looking forward to seeing what they came up with. (Don't tell me!)
I didn't want to mention anything about that ending, but maybe I should slip in that it differs from the novel? You think?
You have to qualify that calling the original ending of the graphic novel "weak" even when comparing it to itself because actually what you AREN'T saying is that you, personally, consider it the "weakest part" of a universally-critically-acclaimed graphic novel that nearly single-handedly re-invented a medium by making nearly everything that came before it seem frivolous and influenced nearly everything that came after it and has stood the test of time for over twenty years and is currently on the NY TIMES Bestseller List." I'm just sayin' careful when you toss such a strong word like "weak" around anything concerning the original book even when comparing it to itself and remember, it's only "weak" to a select few who read the book, NOT the majority. The ending has proven itself already. The point is moot except because the "suits" dumbed it down for mass film consumption.
The original ending was utterly brilliant. Changing it is a travesty.
The only criticism I ever saw was a suggestion that the only way humanity would continue to believe in what happened is if it kept happening, at least once every year or so. And if it never happened again then we'd go right back to the old status quo.
They changed the ending? WTF?
I read this only recently, and thought that the events in the climax were bone-chillingly precient given the way things have gone this decade.
They'd better come up with something good.
It's not Ronald Reagan, it's Robert Redford.
No, in the movie, they reference good ol' Ronald Reagan, complete with an "america would never vote for a cowboy" reference, inferring, well, you know...
Inferring Redford starring in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. Go check the original source material, which explictly says Redford.
They switched it to Reagan probably because the Redford reference is less relevant. It works really well and the audience snickered after it, especially given how he actually was elected and because of our LAST "cowboy" president...
in the BOOK its rober redford..the MOVIE its reagan
anyone reading all these comments, take them with a grain of salt. Most of the people posting can't even keep the facts straight. Just like the reviewer and his comments about the music lol
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