I kind of miss updating my journal more often and we all love to share our opinions, so hence I'm throwing in my two cents with my Nerd God approved review of Watchmen. Minor (?) spoilers.


First a quick background with me and the comic. I only got into comics somewhat recently and only read the graphic novel as recent as last year--thus, I don't have the same connection to the source material as everyone else has. This wasn't something I grew up with and though I respect what the Watchmen is, I never held it up on a pedestal. I had definite issues with the source material in terms of pacing and ending--which I'll talk about later.


In terms of the movie, for better or worse, it's the comic. It was actually kind of amazing HOW faithful it was, in fact. Everything I understood to be the "big bads" in movies--those things that normally get removed to try to keep an "R" rating (full frontal MALE nudity, rape, excessive violence)--where kept in without so much as blinking. The movie showed it was very confident in its source material. In parts it was excessive and might make you uncomfortable, but it's what the COMIC demanded. It's a valid criticism to say they should have done more of "their own thing" with the film, but with something this complex it's really a safer bet to just hold true to the source and I respect that.

Actually, there was ONE spot I really wanted them to rewrite for the film which was the ending. I HATE the ending of the comic. It just about ruined the book for me. The comic spends a lot of time establishing that Doctor Manhattan is the ONLY one with any sort of super powers--everyone else is people in masks. So to have the ending involve a GIANT SQUID MONSTER and PSYCHICS is kind of a kick in the reader's balls. It was VERY deus ex machina and Doctor Who's the only one allowed to get away with that kind of crap. The movie's ending, however, was perfect. It had the same intent as the comic's ending, but rewritten so IT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE.

I think the only real problem I have with the film is its music. The songs themselves are fine--I'm not implying they suddenly through in The Jonas Brothers or anything--but what they picked for the scene was so on the nose it made me cringe. Talking about nuclear holocaust? How about "99 Red Balloons"? Funeral? Sounds like time to break out the Simon & Garfunkel! What do we have next, a sex scene? I got it! Hallelujah! It's like they just popped in "Now That's What I Call Movie Cliche Music 7" and ran with it. Again, I like those songs. I just don't like how they were used.


Over all, the movie is good. It's well put together and any issues with the story or characters is more an issue with the comic than the film. This is the best adaptation of the graphic novel considered to be "unfilmable" fans could have hoped for. They cut things out where they should have and left in what was vital. It's not a movie for everyone as there was clearly some people in the theater with us who apparently thought they were seeing another Batman or Iron Man film and instead received something much more adult. But if you understand what you're getting into, it's a fine movie.