Last night, a comedian died in New York.
Went to see the Watchmen midnight showing in downtown Berkeley last night/this morning.
It was amazing.
Definitely technically impressive and very entertaining, if not a perfect adaptation. But then, I wasn't expecting it to be.
I have to confess, I was disappointed with how the ending played out. I can understand why the "psychic alien attack" subplot was perhaps a bit too ambitious/complicated to try to adapt to movie format, but at the same time the "villainizing Dr. Manhattan" just didn't seem as impressive. They did a good job working it fairly seamlessly into the movie, though.
The musical direction was...interesting. The selections didn't seem to mesh well with the overall mood of the story/feel of the universe. They were a little too upbeat and quirky to me, but definitely period appropriate. I can't say I was disappointed, though. I knew almost every single song used and most or all of the words to them. It amuses me to think that whoever made the selections and I seem to have identical musical tastes.
Overall, I think they did a good job in condensing it, though I'm a little sad that they left out the sub-plot of how Rorschach gets his mask. I really liked that bit. I'm glad they left in some of his more gruesome scenes, though. The violence got a bit too gratuitous for me, in parts, but I'm glad that they didn't shy away from the grittiness of the story, the way they have in other adaptations of Alan Moore's work.
My only complaint with casting is that while I think Billy Cruddup did an excelling job playing Dr. Manhattan, I kind of wish they had re-dubbed his lines. Dr. Manhattan in my mind has always had a rich, deep baritone, sort of like the voice they use for the Martian Manhunter. Hearing him in a light, almost effeminate intellectual tenor was a bit off-putting.
All in all, an enjoyable movie, which I would definitely recommend seeing if you get the chance. (Saying that here is pretty redundant, though, since I'm fairly certain anyone reading this already has plans to go, if they didn't see it opening night like I did.)
And of course, I have to ask: who's your favorite character?
It was amazing.
Definitely technically impressive and very entertaining, if not a perfect adaptation. But then, I wasn't expecting it to be.
I have to confess, I was disappointed with how the ending played out. I can understand why the "psychic alien attack" subplot was perhaps a bit too ambitious/complicated to try to adapt to movie format, but at the same time the "villainizing Dr. Manhattan" just didn't seem as impressive. They did a good job working it fairly seamlessly into the movie, though.
The musical direction was...interesting. The selections didn't seem to mesh well with the overall mood of the story/feel of the universe. They were a little too upbeat and quirky to me, but definitely period appropriate. I can't say I was disappointed, though. I knew almost every single song used and most or all of the words to them. It amuses me to think that whoever made the selections and I seem to have identical musical tastes.
Overall, I think they did a good job in condensing it, though I'm a little sad that they left out the sub-plot of how Rorschach gets his mask. I really liked that bit. I'm glad they left in some of his more gruesome scenes, though. The violence got a bit too gratuitous for me, in parts, but I'm glad that they didn't shy away from the grittiness of the story, the way they have in other adaptations of Alan Moore's work.
My only complaint with casting is that while I think Billy Cruddup did an excelling job playing Dr. Manhattan, I kind of wish they had re-dubbed his lines. Dr. Manhattan in my mind has always had a rich, deep baritone, sort of like the voice they use for the Martian Manhunter. Hearing him in a light, almost effeminate intellectual tenor was a bit off-putting.
All in all, an enjoyable movie, which I would definitely recommend seeing if you get the chance. (Saying that here is pretty redundant, though, since I'm fairly certain anyone reading this already has plans to go, if they didn't see it opening night like I did.)
And of course, I have to ask: who's your favorite character?