[Watchman Review; Part IV: A "Civilains Reaction" and "Thoughts Upon a Second Viewing"]

[savemoony]

So I took my mother to see Watchmen this afternoon. She knew nothing about the film -- except that I squeed like a bitch everytime a preview came on TV. I totally pulled a Rorschcah on her. We walked into the theater, and she said, "So are you going to tell me about the plot?" And I said, "No." I told her I wanted her to go in blind and react. I wanted to see what a "civilain" had to say. I think I creepd her out though. I kept staring at her during my favorite scenes to see her reaction.

Her thoughts:

• It unfolded like a book and not like a movie. They spent too much time on character development. (Meaning the pacing was off -- first 2/3s of the movie were slow compared to the end). She thought it was too long.
• Not confused. Probably took three hours to pack it all in, hence the length, but she understood everything.
• Laurie should've stayed with Adrian at the end. The end should've been Dan walking out, Laurie and Adrian staying there, and then panning to the TVs to see the world react. She thought the stuff with the mother in the house was pointless and anti-climatic.
• Wanted them to stop "putzing around" and "kick butt" as the end instead of "wimp out."
• Did not care about Laurie's mother or the revelation of Eddie being Laurie's father at the end.
• Did not know there's only one book so she talked about "how they've could've just waited for the sequel to put this in."
• Did not, and I quote, "like Batman and the girl."
• Hated "Batman" because he was lame and wimpy. None of the characters came across as superheroes (except for the blond guy). She didn't think any of the characters were relatable.
• Really liked Rorschcah. Good characters in a basic, simplistic, common man way who sees the world in right and wrong and in a non-intellectual way.
• Thought Adrian was right. She liked that he did it not for greed but for good, for an intellectual highminded good.
• Her favorite part was the prison break out and prison scenes
• Her favorite line was "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with me."
• Loved the music.

I tried not to disown her when she said she "hated Batman." I also tried to not get upset.
Me: "He's not Batman."
Mum: "Then who he is?"
Me: He's Nite Owl.
Mum: But his father died and left him all that money, and he had the toys in the garage --
Me: I KNOW MUM, BUT HE'S NOT BATMAN. He's actually based on The Blue Beatle.
Mum: *blink*
Me: You know what, yes. He's Batman.

I find it interesting she did not like Dan for all the reasons you're supposed to love her. She nailed him while describing his faults. Mum also didn't think it was "as good as she thought it was going to be." and she thought "The Dark Knight was better." SO PROUD OF YOU MUMMY.

And, of course, this means I've seen it a second time, so I have a different opinion...

• WAY BETTER THE SECOND TIME. IT DESERVES SOME CAPSLOCKS LOVE.
• The acting. Damn. EVERYONE WAS A-FUCKING-MAZING. AND I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE: JACKIE EARL HALEY AS RORSCHCAH IS EQUAL TO, IF NOT BETTER THAN, HEATH LEDGER AS THE JOKER.
• I have to stick up for Malin Akerman and Matthew Goode. Malin Akerman IS Laurie. And Matthew Goode is not how I pictured Adrian, but for the script material, I thought he worked it out. I also loved the quiet confience, and quiet meancing aura he gave Adrian.
• DEAR FANDOM, IF YOU START SLASHING RORSCHCAH/DANIEL I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND BEAT YOU.
• The title sequence is still my favorite part. I don't know what that says...
• The choice of music worked much better this time around because I knew it was coming. Everything worked better knowing how it would unfold. I stopped analyzing the film and just WATCHED it.
• I HATE THAT THEY CHANGED ADRIAN'S LINES AT THE END. I WANTED HIM TO SAY "DID IT THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES AGO" NOT "TRIGGERED IT" AND I TOTALLY WANTED HIM TO SHOUT "I DID IT" BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST.
• Sally dowing the Matrini in the kitchen/background after she slaps Dan's ass just might be my favorite character moment of the film.
• STILL UNSETTLED AND FREAKED OUT BY THE HALLELUJAH SEX SCENE.
• God, the Easter Eggs. The fucking Easter Eggs! I am 75% positive that "The Gay Couple" are in the restaurant, at the table behind Dan. The attention to detail in this movie scares me.
  And...
  
  And...
  
  And...
  
  
  
  THAT IS HOLLIS BEATING THE CRAP OUT OF JOE CHILL AND SAVING THE WAYNES. OH MY FUCKING GOD, HOLLIS MARRY ME. I ALMOST LET OUT A GIANT SQUEEEEEEEEEEE IN THE THEATRE WHEN I NOTICED IT.

So, overall, the final analysis:
A+ for effort, B for the film, and I CANNOT BLOODY WAIT UNTIL THE 'ABSOLUTE WATCHMEN' DVD BECAUSE I SUSPECT THAT WILL JUST COMPLETE THE FILM AND CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR THE BETTER.

Also.
Alan Moore, you can suck it. Zack Snyder proved you wrong.