Mediocre film that never quite catches true essence of comic

Rating: 5/10 (10 June 2017)

Full disclosure: I have indeed read the graphic novel and I LOVED it. It really makes you think about the true nature of humankind and makes you ponder the true breadth of the moral scale, while being a subtle and clever parody of superhero comics (while still showing an obvious respect for them). Yes, fanboys do treat it like an infallible masterpiece of religious stature; I don't agree with that. but, it is still most definitely a thought-provoking read that will stick with you for ages. The movie adaptation on the other hand? Um...well, at least the cinematography is nice. Zack Snyder definitely got the look of the book right, and it managed to perfectly capture that Cold War tension and hostility. But everything else just seems to fall...flat. I had high hopes for this movie based on fan reviews, but I really think their bias and knowledge of these characters clouds their judgment. The only character I can say was properly developed here compared to the novel is Rorschach (in an excellent performance by Haley), but his presence just seems pushed aside to make room for Silk Spectre and Dreiberg in some TERRIBLY lazy (at best) performances by Akerman and Wilson. The Comedian was good, although I wish Snyder actually adhered more closely to the book in that regard and used him more sparingly. Dr Manhattan was pretty much what I expected, but his monotone diatribes came off as less godlike and more just plain creepy. Veidt's role was more amped up here, and the actor just does not capture the character's ambiguity at all. I definitely feel like someone who was going into this blind could tell immediately that something more sinister was behind him. The first ten minutes were the most stunning. They actually did manage to perfectly capture the exposition of the novel and the historical context behind it. But all in all, Watchmen just can't capture the complexity of the original. The characters are flat, the symbolism is gone, and we're stuck with a plodding storyline that just leaves you bored more than anything. Pros: Contrary to popular opinion, I actually did like the CGI in this film. Rorschach is perfect. The comedian is also pretty good. Cons: Silk Spectre is probably one of the worst actresses I've ever seen. Excessive runtime. The action, the dialogue, the pace, somehow literally almost everything seems to appear flat here. Conclusion: Yes, Watchmen looks almost exactly like the comic, but it lacks the literary elements that make it such a compelling story.