Watchmen: impressions and reactions

[jrtom]

So I finally saw it this past weekend.

(Amusing factoid: Megan hasn't read the book (or seen the movie)--yet, at least--but her mom has. :) )



Overall, I'd say it was pretty good. The casting was decent, they clearly were trying hard to remain true to the feel of the original, and the music choices were generally excellent.

It didn't grab me the way the graphic novel did, though. The book made me feel for the characters in a way that the movie didn't quite manage. (More on that below.)

Some specific comments:

The novel obviously had a lot more depth, which is I think part of the reason why it affected me more. Because the novel is so much denser and more layered, it requires a lot more cognitive effort, and simply requires more investment of time, to get through the story. That made me, at least, more invested in the story, and certainly gave me more connection to the characters.

The fight scenes were very visceral, if (especially later) overly theatrical and superhero-y. (Come on, folks. Even Veidt isn't actually a superman, just a brilliant guy in very good shape, with martial arts skills, excellent reflexes, and knowledge of how to make his intelligence work for him in a fight. No one should be leaping fifteen feet in an attack, except Jon, who wouldn't bother.)

Sally, ironically, looked too young. Basically she looked like a relatively young woman unsuccessfully trying to look old. Could have used more work on the makeup there.

The "let's lecture the oil/auto execs before having some of them conveniently killed" scene seemed really strained. Not sure what the movie folks were thinking: they needed Veidt's exposition and they needed the fake assassination attempt to throw Rorschach and Adrian off, but combining them was awkward.

I didn't mind the extended sex scene in Archie, but it seemed a little gratuitous.

Rorschach's pre-death scene was badly directed, I think. In the novel I didn't read him as afraid, but rather furious, resigned, and perhaps somewhat despairing.

I think it was unnecessary to have Jon enable Laurie to "see things as he saw them". It was hokey, both times.

I didn't feel that the one major departure from the original--the "let's use the Manhattan Transfer to emulate a neutron bomb instead of faking an alien attack"--worked very well. It was more parsimonious (a plus to the movie folks, of course) but more fragile. I mean, I simply don't buy that the nations of the world--and especially the US--would assume that Jon must have been the instigator, rather than that someone else had managed to duplicate the effect...and they would have tried _first_ to negotiate, because in reality the nations of the world could have done nothing to threaten him, and they knew it. Nixon wasn't actually stupid, just somewhat *ahem* lacking in morals.

I grant that the alien thing was arguably a stretch. But it was more carefully crafted and didn't just depend on doing damage--it ensured that everyone really _believed_ that aliens had attacked. Which was necessary to the scheme's success, both long term and short term.

Those who are familiar with the book or the movie: what did you think the consequences of Rorschach's journal being recovered would be? It fingers Veidt but doesn't include the details of the scheme, of course, because he sent it off before going Down Under. But it wasn't clear to me what the creators wanted the audience to believe, if anything.

Comments

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I'm believe Glen Beck if he were weeping and waving a journal around, claiming it's all some crazy plot. I suspect that given the New Frontiersman is essentially a white power movement publication, that the conspiracy theory would catch on with the extreme right fringe, but given the source, most people would dismiss it as insane paranoid ramblings designed to reignite flagging NF sales.

There is a chance that it would catch on in the mainstream if enough people with power and money thought it would make them more money or power, but i think the first scenario is more likely

Rorschach

[fdmts.livejournal.com]

Rorschach's pre-death scene was badly directed, I think. In the novel I didn't read him as afraid, but rather furious, resigned, and perhaps somewhat despairing.

They did capture the bit that I liked about that scene - that in order to give up he must remove the mask and become just Walter again.

I enjoyed the movie, as a whole, though.

Re: Rorschach

[jrtom.livejournal.com]

Interesting--I hadn't really interpreted his actions in that light. To me taking off the mask was necessary because it allows the reader/viewer to see his face, and his emotions--and humanize him, at least somewhat. (This is especially critical in the movie because almost all of Rorschach's backstory was left out.)

I did enjoy the movie overall--I'm glad I saw it, and I feel that it was a worthy adaptation of the book, which is not something that I say of a lot of movies whose associated book I thought was good. I'm even more glad that I own the book, though, and I don't feel any particular desire to own the movie.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

I think the journal at the end was supposed to be ambiguous. On the one hand, the conspiracy that they all worked so hard for (and Rorshach gave his life for) was exposed, and on the other hand it was to a rag that no one owuld believe. What's interesting to me is speculating on what the main characters will do when the NF publishes it.

[jrtom.livejournal.com]

What's interesting to me is speculating on what the main characters will do when the NF publishes it.

Heh.

Adrian: "AAAAAAAAH CRAP CRAP CRAP WHAT DO WE DO NOW!?" *is very conflicted*

Laurie: "Sheesh, guy, chill out." *is convinced that Jon will fix it if necessary*

Sally: "Damn that creepy little rodent! Can't he even let the world _stay_ saved?" *is tired of all this crap*

Veidt: "Interesting. Well, time to go indirectly spend a microscopic amount of my fortune on counter-PR to paint the NF as the right-wing wackos that they in fact are--and maybe I'll do a better job with the front companies this time." *is actually quite shaken by this but doesn't really expect it to turn out to be a problem*

Jon: "This is the point at which I find this out, apparently. Well, it will be too bad if they blow themselves up." *is otherwise engaged*

Rorschach: "Serves them all right, those liberal whiners." *is not compromising, even in the face of Armageddon*