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The answer is simple : Make it darker, make it grittier, make it
fresher.
And that's exactly what Zack Snyder (director of 300) has achieved
in spades...
Set in 1985 in an
alternate America (in which costumed superheroes are part of everyday
life) Watchmen
is a complex, multi-layered
murder mystery which delves into the political tension's between
the USA and the Soviet Union: the "Doomsday Clock" is
permanently set at five minutes to midnight.
The film sets off when a former colleague (named The Comedian) of the masked vigilante Rorschach is murdered.
He soon uncovers a plot to kill and discredit all past and present
superheroes and must reconnect with his former crime-fighting legion
(an overweight and out-of-work group of retired superheroes, only one
of whom has true powers) in order to get a better glimpse at the
disturbing conspiracy which could lead to catastrophic consequences.
With a running time of just over two and a half hours, Watchmen is the
very definition of a unique and sprawling epic - a Gone With The Wind
of the comic book world.
As with most comic book films, once you look past the absurdity
of costumed superheroes (and Dr Manhattan's incessant need to
traverse the Universe with his dong swinging about) Watchmen reveals
itself to be a truly unique and giftedly layered ode to film noir and
the classic Hollywood murder mysteries.
A stunning retro soundtrack teamed with Zack Snyder's trademark use of
slow-mo (there are times where you could swear you are just watching a
collection of Music Video clips edited together) gives the film a truly
authentic, other-dimensional appeal.
The visuals are
a daring delight, on par with The
Matrix.
They create a
visual language the elevates what could be deemed as "self indulgent"
into a grounded, well-developed and meticulously sculpted tale.
But it isn't all style over substance, with the script opting to delve
deeply into the characters rather than exploiting CGI effects - a
risky, yet ultimately rewarding, cinematic choice.
There
are some stellar turns from the ensemble cast as well - the highlight
delivered in the form of a chilling performance from Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Most will remember his ever-so-creepy performance in Little Children, and it's more of the same here with his half Batman / half blood thirsty psychopath performance.
Extra points for his ability to avoid "becoming a prison bitch"
throughout some disturbingly bloody and graphic fight scenes with a
midget.
While die hard fans of the comic book may not be riveted with the
changes to the films ending, the finished product in ultimately a
winner. However, I was
informed on good authority from a rather famous Aussie Watchmen
nerd that the film's ending seems to make more sense than the
ending in the original book.
Original, violent and unparalleled in it's efforts for credible
character driven storytelling - Watchmen
is a triumph. Blu Ray Special Features with Sean Lynch
Quite a lot of stuff is on offer here - and even better news is that
it's all in crystal clear HD. Nice! In fact, Blu Ray is the only way of
really doing a movie like this justice, the picture quality is that
good!
That said, rumour has it that there is a monster 5-Disc
Special Editon Blu Ray on it's way at some point which has at least
three different cuts of the film itself.
But for those who simply can't wait - fear not as you're more than covered with the two disc for the time being.
Features
include featurettes such as "Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic
World", "The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics" and "Real Super
Heroes, Real Vigilantes".
There are also a bunch of cool Video
Journals Webisodes and a very nifty Viral Video which is filmed like an
old school Nightly News update.
Well worth checking out, it'll change your whole perception of the comic book genre.
Conclusion:
Movie 90% Extras: 75%
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