Soul of a Superhero

Rating: 10/10 (12 November 2012)

Being a Superhero can be fun but the undeniable truth they all know is that their all human behind the mask. Sure I wouldn't mind being a Superhero but I can't do it 24.7 and it's not something I would want to do everyday or even forever for that matter if it interferes with my personal life too much. "Watchmen" is my second favorite graphic novel and I'm proud to say it's one of my favorite comic book movie adaptations and one of my personal favorite movies.
Watchmen was never really a superhero epic but more of a character drama which was what made it great, and it was always the humanity of a superhero that I was always interested in the most. We get to know who each of the individuals behind the masks are they all have wants, needs, flaws, fears, feelings and can age which makes them human. The Wam Bam aspect came secondary which was fine by me since sometimes but it's nature it was story filler that can bring the character drama and development to a grinding halt which annoys me in some comics. There is a who dunnit plot that intriguingly develops but the story was never entirely concerned about it.
Everything in this film is great and done right, from the setting they are able to successfully create the alternate America from the book which spans from 1960, 70, and 80. From the technologies which are in between modern and futuristic, what they watched, music, but also the costumes the superheroes wear. The fight sequences are great, the choreography is well done and their pretty violent; along with the special effects. It's true the film is long but the length was just right and I really didn't notice since this is one of those films your highly engrossed in that you don't care.
There are a lot of great characters that are all three dimensional and told in a non linear and multi focus format (similar to the TV show "Lost" and movie "Pulp Fiction").
Walter Kovacs/Rorshach (Jackie Earle Haley)he's my favorite character in the book and the actor not just looked like him but nailed the persona perfectly. He's sort of a more accessible Batman like character, highly intelligent, enigmatic, spooky, and might have a bit of a screw loose due to his strict black and white ethical belief that everything is arbitrary and has a pattern which probably only exists in his mind. That mask of his is one of the most impressive one's I've seen (how the heck he can see and breath in it is anyone's guess) because it's an ink blot test pattern that constantly changes. Trust me, he may'be a small guy and doesn't look like much but if any bad guy tries to pick on him he'll make them into dog meat. For example, while in prison one big guy goes at him with a knife, Rorshach just hits him with a food tray and throws deep fry grease onto him, ouch.
Jon Osterman/Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) he is the most complicated of them all because he's the only one that really has superpowers. It almost seems he has the good deal but sometimes with some superheroes all great power has a price. From him it was simply his human identity and mortality. His abilities have literally given him a sort of godhood, he can see multiple possibilities before they happen and has immortality. These things have made him detached from human kind to the point where his former human identity has became a distant untouchable memory. In a way his longing for mortality again is similar to Greek Myth how Gods would watch over mortals but then become mortal themselves once in a while just to get a taste what they don't/can't have or be.
Dan/Night Owl 2 (Patrick Wilson) is another Batman like hero from his inventiveness and all the gadgets in his underground lair. He's laid back and can live a normal life. But deep down once in a while we see he yearns to play his superhero role again because he feels his work is far from done. It sort of reflects the repressed feelings he has carried for Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre 2 (Malin Akerman) for a long time.
Silk Spectre 2 is a sweet, strong, slightly feisty female superhero but is a little troubled herself in figuring out who she really is and what she wants of both her identity and life.
Edward Blake/Comedian (Jeffery Dean Morgan) is an anti hero that you can like or dislike (I'm more leaning toward dislike) at the same time, he is a person that has done some shady things in both personal and professional life, but we see he's a broken person from his eyes there's a sense of shame and regret.
Adrian Veidt/Ozymadias (Matthew Goode) is the smartest man in the world, idealistic and has literally unbeatable martial arts skills but he's a shady enigmatic characters; he's a bit cold and might have developed a bit of a god complex which makes him a bit chilling.
The film shows a superhero is always human, it doesn't matter what unique abilities he/she has there will always be limitations. Sure "Spiderman" can shoot webs and swing from point A to B, but he can't fly nor get to somebody in trouble 100 miles away. And he has to go back home and take off his mask to deal with his personal life. Even Superman after a hard day wants to go back to see Lois Lane. There is a conflicting dichotomy as we see humans wanting to be superheroes and stay super for their human lives are limiting and equally despise the role because it keeps them from being human and live life as themselves.
Superheroes behind the masks are made of flesh, blood and possess human souls.
Rating: 4 stars