I believe I've written enough in this topic, so I'll keep this brief...
I thought that truly was one of the greatest films ever made. I'll admit, for the first half hour I was almost nodding-off. It was an exposition overload moving at a snail's pace; I felt a little sorry for those members of the audience who'd paid to see a flick akin to 'The Dark Knight' or 'Spiderman'. But, once it really got going... Jay-Zeus Christ!
Yes, 'Hallelujah' was a godawful choice of music for the sex scene in Archie, but it was one of the (very) few complaints I have about the film. The music on the whole was excellent. From 'The Times They Are A Changin'' over the opening credits, to the disco track played during the Keene riots, to the Hendrix (I believe) track played on Archie's approach to Karnak.
I also loved how they really amped-up the tension in places. Two scenes in particular are the one in Adrian's office when Dan realises who's behind the conspiracy, and the scene when 'S.Q.U.I.D' engages. The music, the camerawork, the performances... Thrilling! And the slo-mo was absolutely fine, in my opinion. It was employed at
just the right moments.
And Jackie Earle Hayley's final scene was simply beautiful. In the comic the impact of Rorschach's demise is dependent upon what the reader has learned about his character over the course of the story. You're left feeling genuinely sorry for him, and want him put out of his misery. Time constraints didn't award the film the benefit of this background. The build-up was marvellous, and Hayley really poured every ounce of his efforts into making that final dialogue really moving. I was seriously close to tears. In the comic Rorschach came-off, understandly, as a little one-note. Hayley managed to imbue the character with a soul, even if that had been severly diminished by Kovacs' almost complete absorbtion in his sociopathic alter-ego.
I could write all day about how great the cast was, even Ackerman and Goode. The latter really surprised me actually, having read many reviews commenting on how the weakness of his performance holds things back. I say bull-shit to that!
All in all, this film pleasured me in a way a woman never could. I mean that, seriously. Ever seen those posters detailing "10 Reasons Why A Cold Beer Is Better Than A Woman"? Same thing. 'Watchmen' was a soft, smooth fuck to the senses.
And...
some other gripes that suddenly arised
1. Manhattan and Veidt don't have the one-on-one talk. In the comic, Veidt shows a hint of remorse by asking Manhattan if what he did was right. This could be paralleled in the movie when Veidt said that he felt every sacrifice and let Dan beat him up but it was still an important scene and the lack of it cheapened his character.
2. Manhattan telling Spectre that Blake was her father. In the comic, it's implied at first and confirmed later. Why the fuck did Hayter and the other writer guy think that the audience was too retarded to get the connection? "Your father... was THE COMEDIAN" COME ON!!!
3. Finally, Rorschach in the pedophile's house where the leg bone still had a foot attached to it. In the comic, it's just a femur. Again, did they expect the audience to NOT understand the connection? The killer was careful enough to burn her panties but felt like feeding the still-attached shoe (complete with sock) to the dogs? Gimme a fucking break!
1. Veidt very clearly showed remorse, as you say. Heck, that final shot of Ozymandias stood alone in Karnak, when Dan and Laurie look back, said all that needed to be said. It conveyed his complete moral ostracization from humanity (which now included his former friends), and the look on his face was clearly one of both guilt, and longing for the lost respect of his former comrades. You could tell that he was less than happy about the sacrifices he'd had to make. Very much like Batman, he knew he needed to become the villain in order to prevent human extinction. He even said earlier in the film that he'd devoted himself to a higher cause. He did so at the expense of walking alone from then on, even if it was only in his conscience.
2. Given the almost overwhelming quantity of information being thrown at the audience, I felt it was completely necessary to clarify that Blake was Laurie's father. In the comic this revelation occurs over a couple of pages, if I recall. The reader is given enough time to take it in. Again, the film didn't have the luxury of time. Manhattan's ability to induce memorial regression was one addition that I was quite pleased with, as well as the re-written ending. The Squid would've been... laughable, to say the least.
Also, bear in mind that Manhattan is also discovering the truth of Laurie's ancestry at the same time as she is, and he isn't one to be tactful when stating what's on his mind. His clarification was completely consistent with his character. And, by the way, Crudup played him wonderfully. Reading the comic, I expected that Manhattan would sound much deeper, and more direct in his address. Quite the opposite of Crudup's passive, distracted portrayal. Anyway, enough arse-kissing the cast...
On to...
3. It's a bloody
bone. In the comic it wasn't entirely clear that it once belonged to Blaire Roche. However, in the comic you could take a second or two to make the connection. It's a matter of pacing. The film was so dense that it would've been easy to miss, like the confirmation of Laurie's revelation.
I love the comic, but I think I preferred the film. It was much leaner, and a great deal more imaginative (contrary to Alan Moore's opinion). The production design was phenomenal, very much like in Batman & Robin; only in Watchmen it didn't feel excessive or overly fantastical.
The only thing I did miss was the extra background that you get from the inserts between chapters in the comic. Thankfully I was able to apply that information to enrich my experience of the film, so it wasn't a biggie. I greatly look forward to seeing the full, 3 1/2 hour Director's Cut.
I said I was going to keep this short...
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'Watchmen' movie... and videogame...
