Hello world. I’m back from my indefinite break from the blogosphere and I’m ready to talk movies again. Over the course of the past few months, I’ve changed cities (hello Philly) and changed schools (hello 6 more years). Now that I’ve adjusted to my new environment and gotten a brand spankin’ new Netflix subscription, its time to discuss all things reel.
To kick off this fresh start, I’m gonna discuss my thoughts on Watchmen. The flick had a good first weekend, but fell almost 70% during its second. I’m sure you’ve heard an earful about this flick already, but this be the Internets and I’m gonna add to the noise. Hit the jump and let’s talk superheroes.
Watchmen (2009) imdb
So first off let me say this: I have not yet read the Watchmen comics. With that being said, I went in to the movie with some apprehension about whether I would be able to follow what was going on. Ultimately, I left the theater a little confused, but I think I got the main points down.
Watchmen is a very watchable flick and is constantly engaging. While, I didn’t love where the plot ultimately went, I went along for the ride. I’m not going to go into the storyline of Watchmen; if you really want a synopsis of the flick check out the NY Times review.
The cast of Watchmen is half awesome and half blah. While Rorschach and the Comedian are lively and a blast to see on screen, the rest of the characters/actors are pretty boring. Its not always the actors at fault; some of the characters are just lame (Nite Owl), and the dialogue is often too comic book-ish to be spoken convincingly. Malin Akerman’s lines are a bit tough to take.
Visually, Watchmen is an overload. Costumes, set designs, framing are all fitting of a comic inspired film. The fights are grotesquely violent with blood splatter and slow-mo galore. While one may see this as Snyder’s touch, I’m more inclined to say the visual flare of the film is pretty derivative comic book action. Snyder’s source material acts as storyboards and I would say the “visionary” director’s main additions were probably heaps of violence and slow-mo camera shots. The gore-filled fights can be quite unsettling, but I don’t really find shock value to be impressive. Why did Snyder choose to make the movie so violent? Was 300 not enough for him?
When I left the theater, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Watchmen. It was interesting enough to watch, but at the same time I found it to be pretty uneven the whole way through. The plot reveal at the end made me scratch my head a bit and the music choices throughout the film confused me further. Watchmen has a lot going for it, but its dependence on bloody violence and its uneven characters and story left me feeling cold. If you’re a Watchmen fan, you’ve already seen it. If you’re still on the fence, I’d say wait for the DVD or see it at a second hand theater.
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