In which Zin is pretty damn satisfied...

[zinnith]

So, I finally got to see Watchmen last Friday, and I must say that it lived up to my expectations.



That said, my expectations were 'Won't be as good as the graphic novel and they'll leave out important stuff, but it'll be great nevertheless'. And yes, it was.

Visually, Watchmen is one of the coolest films I've seen since Sin City. Some scenes are so completely identical to the comic panels that I wished I could just pause the film and stare in admiration. (I actually think that comic books and graphic novels are the ultimate medium for storytelling, especially when you, like me, crave a visual element. I only write stories because I can't draw... Storytelling through motion pictures is often too flat, and written stories sometimes go too much on the deep. To me, graphic novels are the perfect mix of visual and textual storytelling.)

Over to Watchmen again, and the plot. One of the reviews I read prior to seeing the movie said that people who have read the graphic novel will think the film is too short, while people who have not read it will think it's too long. I'm inclined to agree. There are several storylines cut out of the movie that I really enjoyed in the novel (for example, the kidnapped artists, and the two Bernies). However, when trying to see it from the point of view of someone who aren't familiar with the graphic novel, I can see why it's easy to get confused. I heard several people coming out of the cinema talking about how 'it was great, but I didn't understand it'. And well, translating the brilliance that is Watchmen into a 2,40 motion picture cannot have been easy.

I would've preferred the original ending. Using Dr Manhattan as a scapegoat seemed an easy solution to me. Then again, I can see why the filmmakers wanted an easy solution. Ozymandias' fake alien invasion was a subplot present through the entire novel and it would've been difficult to translate to the screen. However, I must have missed how the Comedian found out about Ozymandias' plan in the film.

Well, all in all, I think it was a great movie and a passable adaption of the graphic novel. Some iffy issues of course (Why are everyone white? Why are the women only present as plot devices?) but no more than can be expected. One thing I did miss was the view of the common people, presented by Bernie the newspaperman in the graphic novel. The movie gave us quite a one-sided perspective that was all about the masked heroes.

All in all, I'm not disappointed and I will see it again. Preferably on DVD so I can pause the good parts and compare them to the novel. Yep, that's how nerdy I am.

Oh, and yay for the computer generated penis of doom! And yay for Nite Owl II! He was my favourite in the novel and he's my favourite in the film as well. Kind of like Batman, if Batman was a pathetic impotent geek. And Rorschach was a perfect portrait of a man so crazy that he's come out the other end of crazy and is bordering on sane.

So, fellow nerds, what did you think?

Comments

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the graphic novel, though Mr B has & so we went to see it. I was fully expecting to not understand what was going on - which is partially true *g* - but I really wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did! :-) I really enjoyed it & am now going to take a crack at the novel (I've never done very well before reading graphic novels but I hope this one will work for me!)

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the novel. It's really not your average comic book. The background work put into it is just stunning and there are all sorts of clever little details to make the story even more realistic. It's so much deeper than a movie could ever hope to be!

[the-cephalopod.livejournal.com]

I'm not reading this post as I do want to see 'Watchmen' & haven't read the novel, so don't want to get spoiled, but I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! I *must* make time to see it! cep xxx

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

Yes, you really must! Be warned, it's definitely not a happy, fluffy tale, but it's absolutely brilliant!

[winter-elf.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the graphic novel. I saw the movie last week.

Uh, well, I liked it. It was very visually interesting.. but ... I really didn't like many of the characters, and I really, really hated the ending. I hate the let's kill all these people and it's okay and THEY LET HIM GET AWAY WITH IT????? I'm not a shades of grey person, and I much agreed with Rochask (can't spell his name). Because blaming it on Dr. M. sucked.

I did like the action and the visual intensity, but I felt no need to see it again.

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

Well, that's the beauty of Watchmen - no fluffy happy endings. They don't think it's okay that all those people died, but in a choice between them and the several billion people who would've died in the war, they chose the less bad alternative. But I must say, the impact of that choice on the characters' lives wasn't shown nearly as much as it should have. It's important to remember that this isn't a story about superheroes, it's a story about masked vigilantes. They aren't necessarily goodpeople, they're just people.