For some reason, many people think that “graphic novel” is just a trumped-up term for cheesy animated comic books with “KABOOM!” and “SPLONK” plastered across its pages.
So I must ask these nonbelievers something: How can a simple comic be considered one of the best novels of all time? How many comic book movies begin with the murder of a masked hero who is himself a murderer?
“Watchmen” tells the story of a group of outlawed superheroes who learn that one of their peers, The Comedian, has been thrown from the window of his high-rise apartment. As tragedy befalls more of the crime fighters, a search to find their persecutor ensues.
This gritty film trashes the preconceived notions many have about modern comics, including my own. Based off the DC Comics series written in 1985 by Alan Moore, the film features a group of characters who, excluding the godlike Dr. Manhattan, are just average human beings dressed up in costumes. And just like the rest of humanity, these heroes have their fair share of problems. The Comedian is an amoral beast of a man who feels that bullets and blood are the best tools available to maintain order, not thinking twice about sacrificing innocents along the way. The mysterious Rorschach follows the same path but kills and maims only those who deserve this fate.
There is only so much a film can do to portray a story without confusing its audience. The exclusion of the comic within the comic, “Tales of the Black Freighter,” is understandable. In this alternate universe, seeing as how superheroes are a part of everyday life, people turn to comics of other themes such as pirates.
“Black Freighter” tells the morbid story of a deranged, shipwrecked sailor racing home to save his family from the crew of the haunted Black Freighter. The thoughts of the sailor follow the action and illustrate the themes of “Watchmen.”
Juxtaposing the two stories on screen as done in the series would prove to be a daunting task and could have drawn away from the main action of the film. Also, running close to three hours, it’s doubtful that the average moviegoer would come away from an even longer film truly appreciating the appearance of a few pirates.
I defy longtime “Watchmen” fans to disagree with me when I say that the sights of this movie did live up to expectations. The environment of the series is almost perfectly presented on film, using vibrant colors and staying true to much of the story’s original artwork. Dr. Manhattan, in all his nude glory, is a CGI wonder. With extreme attention to detail, Michelangelo’s “David” finds competition in this eerily realistic, computer-generated character.
Despite being a visual masterpiece and having a gripping plot, there are some weak points. The back stories for some characters weren’t fully revealed making some of the main characters seem fairly shallow when in the series readers go deep into the psyche of these heroes and find out what makes them tick.
I have mixed feelings about the ending of the film. Although the same basic result is achieved, and the changes made sense within the context of the plot, I get very uncomfortable when pieces of a book are drastically rewritten for the big screen. For those who have not read the series, it will make no difference at all, so don’t worry; it’s just as spectacular as the original story. Please excuse my vagueness, but if you haven’t seen this film, I don’t want to be the one to ruin it for you.
Matthew Goode is not an intimidating man in any sense. Casting Goode as Ozymandias, a superhero who is the world’s smartest man and a physical spectacle, was not the best choice. With a long skinny neck, boyish looks, and a small frame, he resembles a high school sophomore more than a superhero. Goode’s performance is cold and arrogant, which fits his character’s personality even though he doesn’t fill out his costume. When Zach Snyder is directing the film, it’s not as if there was nobody else interested in the role who may have fit the profile better than Goode.
For hard-core fans of the series, the changes made may be disappointing. There is no denying, however, that this film is a fine tribute to the work of Alan Moore and will be looked back upon as one of this year’s most spectacular films.