Watchmen is a cinematic masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (29 July 2009)

Amazing film. Bringing a graphic novel as layered and complex as the Watchmen to the screen is no easy task and Snyder did a brilliant job. Watchmen was as unconventional, intellectual, cerebral, and unique to the cinema world as much as the graphic novel was to the comic book world. It's hard to not compare this to the novel but as a film it is brilliant. Zack Snyder truly did the story justice. Look around online at where other filmmakers before him wanted to take the film. There was even one script where they updated it to be in present day and have the threat be from terrorists. Snyder single handedly saved the Watchmen from a cinematic nightmare. He had the script reworked into the closest adaptation of any graphic novel to date. I would like to shake his hand and thank him for being one of the few filmmakers these days that actually cares about being faithful to the source material of film adaptations. Beyond being faithful, Snyder brought an amazing style and vision to the project. He brought an independent film sensibility to a big budget picture which not many people have the guts to do. I don't think enough can be said on what a great job he did.
I think some of the complaints people have about this movie is interesting because they are very contradictory. Some say the film is too short and some say it's too long. Some say that the movie suffers from sticking too close to the book and others say it's from not sticking close enough to the book. From beginning to end I can't say there wasn't a single moment when I checked the time. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this film. I also speak from a fan's perspective when I say that this movie is probably the closest adaptation of a comic book to date. Yeah there are some details left out but there are already people complaining about the length. Imagine how many people would complain if this movie actually had every single thing from the book in it. It would be like five hours long! The fact of the matter is that the spirit and the heart of the book is definitely present in every moment of the movie.
Some people are also complaining about the music used in the film. With exception of maybe a song or two I loved the soundtrack. Since the film is a period piece, and these characters are such a big part of American history from the 1950's on, it makes sense to blend the music of the times into these characters lives. This is the story of what would happen in our world if these characters existed in it. In our world music is very tied into our history. I just really don't see the big deal. I think it's just because people aren't used to hearing this sort of music in this genera. Again this just goes to show that this movie dares to be different from the rest.
I think the problem for the non fans of the book is that they just thought this was going to be another X Men. THIS IS NOT THE X MEN or is it any other super hero film you have ever seen before. This is risk taking super hero story. It's got the spirit of an independent film. It is truly unique. I saw some parents brought children to see this film. Wow great parenting. This isn't a movie for children. It has extremely graphic and gruesome violence. It has sex and nudity. Watchmen earns it's R rating. Yeah it still has the action and the fight scenes audiences have come to expect from a super hero movie and they are certainly impressive. Unlike other super hero films though the action scenes aren't what drives the story. This is a character piece. The film, like the novel, takes it's time developing the complex history of the characters and the world they live in. Each character is so rich and unique that it's very hard to find a favorite. The actors are perfectly cast to bring these characters to life. It's as though they are jumping out of the pages of the book.
Watchmen is definitely under appreciated and under rated. It's a shame that mainstream audiences didn't really seem to get it. Then again these are the same people that made Transformers 2 one of the biggest hits of the summer so it's almost a compliment that they didn't get it. Like Fight Club, Donnie Darko, and The Fountain, Watchmen will find attention from a more intellectual group of people that can actually appreciate all of the nuances, philosophy, and social commentary that this film has to offer. Apparently this is too smart and cerebral for the typical audience member. Watchmen dared to be different in a time when most films are afraid to challenge conventions. Films used to be praised for that. Apparently not any more. If this came out ten years ago it probably would have met more success but these days people don't want to think at the movies. They just want conventional and simple. It's a shame but I have a feeling that Watchmen will find a larger audience on DVD. It is an experience that should not be missed. It's the freshest super hero story ever told.