I went to the 12:01 of Watchmen last night. ye-ah! I really liked it. and I WILL watch it again. It was deranged and visceral, definitely paying homage to its source graphic novel by being both graphic (gratuitous violence and sex), and novel (an alternate version of America, starting from the rise of an original group of Masked Avengers in the 40's that changed our history as we know it).
I watched 'Almost Famous' on cable the other night, and the scene where Jason Lee's character exclaims "We come off as amateurs, man, fighting and about to break up" kept coming back to me - this is a story of masked amateurs grappling with vengeance, inadequacy, fear of their own past, and narcissism. They don't have superpowers, save for Dr. Manhattan, who seems to be able to control the universe around him at whim, due to a freak accident that rendered him detached and blue (and for some reason, naked).
One of the guys I watched it with complained that there was too much backstory and not enough plot, but I vehemently disagree - without the backstory, what do we care about the plot?
Billy Crudup had the most thankless role, as he spent all but 5 minutes of the movie painted entirely blue with dead white eyes, conveying impassive detachment from humanity.
Jackie Earl Haley was vicious as the snarling Rorschach. His ever-shifting rorschach-like mask was well-animated, and managed to convey emotion even when he didn't speak.
Patrick Wilson was kind of the boy scout/batman of the movie as Nite Owl II, a role I wasn't sure he fit, but with his awesome 80's glasses, sad haircut, and paunch - his sad, settled, impotent character made you root for him to mask up and kick ass.
Matthew Goode was also good(e) as the success-driven Ozymundias. Whether it was the actor or lighting and contacts, his eyes fairly blazed with fervor akin to madness.
...Also, whoever the music producer on this movie was, I would like to kiss them. Their choice of music was note-perfect every scene.
3 comments:
I liked some of the characters, but the story could have been dramatically improved by giving two or three major characters more than cookie cutter depth.
I think you'll find in your second viewing a boredom for the gratuitous and ultimately wearisome sex scenes. Cut those out and the film could have been a still epic two and a half hours instead of what felt like five. Yet the violence and intense conflict of competing world views will make this a movie to endure (disappointingly nearsighted and brazenly banal utopian conclusion notwithstanding).
But for those considering watching this flick, let me forewarn that a few major characters that will dominate time on the screen. Katie didn't mention the Comedian (I don't know or care about actor names), whose evil and childish actions inexplicably never result in him bearing any consequences, in spite of continual proximity. The Comedian was also never funny, unless you count sadism, unapologetic selfishness and arrogant philosophical defeatism as funny (one would have to share it to think so, by my estimation). Neither were the continual references by the other characters to him having a lasting "practical joke" legacy amusing, either, which leads me to believe that they somehow did share at least ideological components, though this was left unexplained, and in conflict with their characters (but as a literary device unified the plot).
The other character that will dominate the time on screen is Silk Spectre, shameless hussy extraordinaire. Between the two generational manifestations of this hero there are few male characters that do not know them in the biblical sense, as evidenced by the film. Village Bicycle might have been a better monicker. I mean, not to judge, that's a useful character trait, for plot convolution I have no issue with it. For film, however, it can be established with far, far less visual reference. More tasteful and more skilled directors have even established it more forcefully with less emphasis and dedicated screen time. An artist can do more with less. Not to is lazy artistry. Or smutty.
Oh, and there is political propaganda running all through this. It's brazenly partisan and ad hominem. It utilizes straw person and poisoning the well. It catalogues hasty generalization without so much as a nod to the existence of social and ideological controversy. It begs the question. And finally, and inexcusably, as it is the central component of the plot line, it concludes with an argument from ignorance/post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy being accepted by the majority of the characters, even killing a character who fails to accept their flawed resolution. I am offended that the character Ozymandias (alleged smartest man in the world) associated himself with Aristotle. Aristotle would have insisted he reason in a formal, deductive way. This movie is an affront to critical thinking. Don't glean your analytical skills by emulating these characters.
But, if you like characters, Rorschach kicks ass in a gritty, gutsy way, and Dr. Manhattan is big and blue, like Paul Bunyan's Babe. Speaking of, anyone know any scientific reason why other characters zapped by the electro-particle poofer wouldn't also morph into Dr. Manhattan types?
I wanted to see a giant blue(-er) egyptian tiger-lynx bat at the people of earth like mice!
Ozymandias wasn't really thinking anything through by my estimation. Look on my works and despair indeed.
I cannot wait to see this. Nice review Duke-ette. It wouldve been fun if you couldve thrown in a Mystery Men reference or even a live action Tick mention. Hopefully this is better than both of those (not hard). Also, I am wondering how much this is like Sin City or 300 what with the graphic novel background of it all. Anyway, looking forward to pirating, oh, I mean paying to watch this movie!
We have been agonizing over wether or not to see this movie!!! I cannot tell you how many articles I alone have read trying to decide if I will love it or hate it. I don't know why or how it happened but lately the thought of not enjoying a movie at the theater has been impeading my/our ability to decide whether or not to see a movie. I am glad you posted this katie...I had just read Time mag's article on it and was pretty ready to see Watchmen but I thnk your comments sealed the deal!
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