I literally don't know where to start with this review, there just so much to say. If you can find me a film that starts off more flawlessly than Watchmen I'll eat my ticket stub. As soon as The Comedian's signature smiley face flashes across the screen and the opening credits sequence begins, you will be engaged with this film. The inundation into the story happens so quick and smooth that you don't even notice. And pay attention, because in that 5 minute period, director Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) magnificently manifests a solid 40 pages worth of backstory art and detail in a beautiful and near flawless adaptation. There are an amazing amount of shots that are EXACT interpretations of the graphic novel frames. Fans will be furiously tapping their buddies in excitement as Dave Gibbons' art quite fantastically comes to life on screen. I know I was.
When I turned the final page of "Watchmen", I had two thoughts.
First, I thought that I might have finished one of the most fantastic pieces of fiction ever written.
Second, I thought that I would end up trying desperately to justify Hollywood's right to make it into a movie.
Since 1986, Hollywood has been trying to bring this incredible story to life. The movie has been repeatedly dropped, and left in the dark. Finally, 300 director Zack Snyder has decided to undertake the task of accurately depicting what might be the greatest graphic novel ever written.
And it's no easy task. The characters of this story are so complex that in order to do them justice, the movie must match the book. Often times in Hollywood productions of comic books and graphic novels, events tend to change. I don't know what Snyder has in mind for this, but I do know this: if he stays as close to the book as he Robert Rodriguez did with Sin City, Watchmen just might be one of the best movies of all time.
I liked 300 a lot. While I have not read it, I have been told by readers that Snyder did a great job with it. Apparently, the whole movie is just a shot-for-shot reproduction of the graphic novel. Again, if he does the same thing here, the film is sure to be fantastic. I have faith in him. He also directed the 2004 version Dawn of the Dead, which was great.
Superhero movies are ascending to a new place. In the last few years, a line has been drawn between films like The Dark Knight and Iron Man and other films like Fantastic Four, and Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer. We are moving to a new place where it is not the explosions, or the cool gadgets that make a superhero movie good, but the characters.
It's as simple as this: if Watchmen is executed as well as creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons intended, then we just might have the best superhero movie ever made.
Views and comments expressed by readers and guest contributors are not necessarily shared by the consistent team of THE MOVIE WATCH. This is a free speech zone and we will not censor guest bloggers, but ask that you do not hold us accountable for what they proclaim.
