Movie Review - Watchmen

What can I say about this film that has not already been said?

I definitely think it would be possible to enjoy this movie without reading the graphic novel, but you would miss all the smiley-face and butterfly references. You'd miss the little bits of back story that are only glossed over in the opening credits.

I liked the new ending because I could not quite understand how a giant squid appearing in New York City would encourage world peace. Then again, I had to go back several times in that chapter to make sure it really was a squid that caused the catastrophe.

Maybe the graphic novel format is just not for me.

Jackie Earle Haley brings Rorschach to life. Every from-the-gut line is uttered as the imagination would have it. I was hoping they would insert the scene where he creates his mask, but I guess I can wait for the director's cut or special edition, if they even filmed the scene at all.

Billy Crudup's turn as Dr. Manhattan is good - he made Dr. Manhattan more sympathetic to me. Not to mention his voice is also perfect for the part, although there is a bit of the uncanny valley going on with his mouth movement.

Patrick Wilson turns Nite Owl from overly pathetic in the graphic novel to someone worthy to scoop up Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman) after she's had enough of being around Dr. Manhattan and his detachment from humanity. I know a lot of people were overly disappointed and felt that the placement of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" was misplaced, but I thought it was quite appropriate.

In fact, I thought the music was spot-on.

Back to Malin Akerman, I didn't think she was bad as Silk Spectre. Silk Spectre I and II were not the best-crafted female characters I've ever read. All the important events are there, but somehow I feel Alan Moore doesn't understand women, and his writing reflects that. I thought Carla Gugino as Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre I was fantastic though. There's something about Sally's sassiness that she does just right.
Who am I missing? Matthew Goode as Veidt reminds me a little too much of someone I knew in high school. And Jackie Earle Haley as The Comedian was solid.

Although the film is quite long, the pacing is good and I felt the film's changes and omissions from the source were appropriate, with the exception of the gorification (but then maybe I'm getting too old to watch ultra gore) of several scenes. Many shots are lifted directly from the graphic novel.

Strangely, my biggest disappointment was when Silk Spectre shoots the big evil mastermind at the end of the film. In the graphic novel (at least in my recollection of the graphic novel), she is crying and pissed. In the film Silk Spectre was just pissed. I thought it undermined the scene a bit.

If you have the barest inkling to see the comic book hero mythology deconstructed, please go see this while it's still in theaters. The cinematography alone is incredible. I don't think it's particularly necessary to read the source before watching the film, but you will probably have a better understanding of the film if you do.