• Dude Review: Watchmen

  Filed under A Dude's Guide to Life
  Mar 8

  Okay, let’s get one thing up front right away. Yes, this is a super-hero movie and, normally, those are all right for the little dudes. However, Watchmen is rated R and it seriously deserves that rating. I’ll probably take my older little dudes (14 and 15) to see it, but his is not a movie for the little dudes. It is, however, a pretty good movie.

  Based on the acclaimed graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen is, at times, a slavish translation from page to picture and, at other times, a completely new movie, one that rather misses the point of the whole graphic novel. Alan Moore has, famously, (if you move in geek circles, perhaps not so much in the real world) divorced himself from this movie. In fact, he had his name removed from the credits. He’s rather prickly that way, and with good reason. After all, movie adaptations of his previous works (V for Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell) have seriously missed the point of his original stories. Seriously. And I think he’s probably got good reason to be peeved again.

  The graphic novel has long been considered to be unfilmable, seeing as how it weaves complex world building, time shifting sequences, a parallel narrative of a ghostly Black Freighter comic strip, and an amazingly restrictive narrative structure that works as a mirror between the first six chapters and the last six chapters. All of that works in a book. In a movie, even one that runs for almost three hours, there are so many things that need to be cut out that it doesn’t leave room for the theme to breathe.

  So, taken as an adaptation, there’s probably a few too many things missing for it to really succeed. On its own merits, however, I think it does a pretty good job.

  The story takes place in an alternate 1985 America, one in which Richard Nixon is still president, the Cold War is raging and America has an actual super-human, Dr. Manhattan, who is able to sway the balance of power. It is a world in which costumed adventurers have erupted at least twice, once in the 1940s and again in the 1970s. However, in 1977, the Keene Act outlawed all masked vigilantes (except for Dr. Manhattan and the Comedian, both of whom were working for the government.) For the most part, these costumed vigilantes hung up their capes. Except for Rorschach, a man who had nothing else except his masked face.

  The movie opens with the murder of one Edward Blake, who is savagely beaten and thrown from the window of his penthouse. Rorschach investigates and finds that Edward Blake is the civilian identity of the Comedian. Rorschach decides someone is bumping off masked heroes and sets out to warn those retired heroes that someone might be gunning for them. As he investigates, the mentally unbalanced Rorschach might have actually discovered a conspiracy that threatens the world.

  With stunning visuals, director Zack Snyder has brought the unfilmable movie to the big screen and done a credible job. (Geek note: I miss the squid. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know what I mean. If not, don’t worry about it.) The one big drawback, for me, was that the percentage of full frontal male nudity far outweighed the amount of full female nudity. And, yes, the full frontal male nudity is big and blue and right up front, so be aware of that upfront.

  I give this four dudes out of five.

  – Richard

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  Tags: A Dude's Guide to Life, Adaptation, Alan Moore, Alternate 1985, America One, Balance Of Power, comedian, Comic Strip, Conspiracy, Dave Gibbons, dude, Dude's, Freighter, Gibbons, Good Job, Good Reason, Graphic Novel, Hero Movie, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, little dudes, Man, Mask, movie, Movie Adaptations, Narrative Structure, Previous Works, review, Richard Nixon, Story Takes Place, V For Vendetta, Watchmen
  
  Tagged as: Adaptation, Alan Moore, Alternate 1985, America One, Balance Of Power, comedian, Comic Strip, Conspiracy, Dave Gibbons, dude, Dude's, Freighter, Gibbons, Good Job, Good Reason, Graphic Novel, Hero Movie, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, little dudes, Man, Mask, movie, Movie Adaptations, Narrative Structure, Previous Works, review, Richard Nixon, Story Takes Place, V For Vendetta, Watchmen
  
  2 Comments

2 Responses to “Dude Review: Watchmen”

1. 

   coffee said on March 15th, 2009 at 12:56 pm

   Rorschach was an especially well developed as a character; i hope the actor that played his role is nominated for some kind of an award (when that season comes around again)

2. 

   Edythe Kesich said on December 29th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

   This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! keep up the good work.