Overscrutinized

Rating: 9/10 (4 September 2009)

IMDb's extensive list of "Goofs/Incorrectly Regarded as Goofs," fact-checking, trivia, and other information people have contributed regarding "Watchmen" gives you only a fractional idea of how intensely this film was anticipated and scrutinized by fans of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons graphic novel.
Unlike the other superhero movies of the last ten years, "Watchmen" is based on unpopular, unconventional, one-shot superheroes created by Moore specifically for his dark think piece on humanity, ethics, and obsession. Zack Snyder made the film with the same faithfulness to the source material that he brought to Frank Miller's "300," often using the frames of the graphic novel for his story board. For fans of the graphic novel, it is accordingly something of a dream come true...
EXCEPT -- that as he did with "300," Snyder oddly chooses to alter the story. Some abridgment of "Watchmen" was expected -- e.g., "Tales of the Black Freighter," the brilliantly parallel story-within-a-story, is omitted in the interest of saving time (although for fans, it is available separately on DVD). However, changing Veidt's plan from a fake alien invasion to making Dr. Manhattan look like a threat to humanity is a big change. I'm not sure it is a bad change; in many ways, it makes for a leaner and more clever story, which better explains Dr. Manhattan's decision to leave Earth at the end of the film. But it is a change.
Changes like this and the commercial fervor over the film no doubt induced Alan Moore to forswear the project, which is a pity, as it is his brainchild.
Technically, the film is a masterpiece. The effects are impressive, and very much the way I imagined them when I first read the graphic novel. The appearance of New York City, Mars, Veidt's fortress, and the Owlship are wonderfully true to the source material. Dr. Manhattan looks as he should. The changes in costumes make Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II look more convincing. Rorschach's mask works as advertised.
The acting was consistently impressive: Patrick Wilson's defeated Dreiberg, Matthew Goode's controlled Ozymandias, Jeffrey Dean Morgan's complex and disturbing Comedian, Billy Crudup's wonderfully detached Dr. Manhattan, Carla Gugino and Stephen McHattie's world-weary retired crimefighters, and of course, James Earl Haley's tour de force as Rorschach -- especially during the prison sequence. The supporting cast also gives strong performances, including those by Rob LaBelle (Wally Weaver) and long-time favorites Matt Frewer (as Moloch) and Danny Woodburn (as Big Figure). Malin Akerman does her best work to date as Laurie/Silk Spectre II.
As a fan of the novel, I was riveted by the film, and would strongly recommend it to anyone who read "Watchmen." On the other hand, I imagine the film is almost incomprehensible to anyone unfamiliar with the graphic novel. It is also (like "300") geared for young adults and geeky middle-aged men (like me) -- middle-aged women will never get past the opening scene (the Comedian's demise). If you are a married man over 30 and want to watch "Watchmen" at home, I recommend that you also rent a Jane Austen adaptation or Meryl Streep film for your wife to watch in the other room. You will both be a lot happier.