Watchmen

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

Oh man, where do you begin with this film? As a huge fan of the graphic novel for a very long time and knowing of the dozens of attempts for film it, the release of this film was greatly anticipated and dreaded. This really is THE modern masterwork of the comic world and the scope of it is massive. I'm not gonna be writing a full essay on it anytime soon although I would gladly discuss it for weeks.

Zack Snyder's film version is very faithful, some would say to a fault. Then there are those don't like the change to the ending. I actually like the way they kept it more internal to the characters that are already established, I think it was a very intelligent compromise and works great for the film.

As for the rest of the film, well I really do like it. I appreciate the incredible attention to detail throughout and the amount of information and pieces they kept from the graphic novel. I also wonder if they had deviated slightly to make the story more filmic if I would feel the same. This is a very dialogue and character heavy film which I think threw a lot of audience members who were expecting something closer to the recent Marvel and CD Comics movie output.

Still, the moments of action, the effects, the photography are all fantastic. And filled with the Snyder-isms we've all come to love or loath. I probably belong more to the former group.

I can't imagine what it would be like watching this without knowledge of the story. I own all 3 edits on bluray but I always choose to show the Director's Cut to first time viewers, time permitting. The Ultimate Cut is grand and the inclusion of the Black Freighter comic within the comic is nice, kudos to WB and Snyder to going all out and making them available, but the film is probably overwhelming enough for a first timer without all the added sub plots.

The film is a commitment, and one that many people won't find rewarding. As a fan of the material I think it's a miracle the film exists at all, let alone one that is as successful as this. There are a few issues I have here and there but in the grand scheme of things they are minor. It's an incredible achievement.