What classics did you see last week ? (16 Jun- 22 Jun 2019)
Jul 15, 2019 18:36:46 GMT
hitchcockthelegend likes this
Post by morrisondylanfan on Jul 15, 2019 18:36:46 GMT
Watchmen (2009) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/reference
The comic book geek blockbuster for adults only.
Watchmen is directed by Zack Snyder and adapted to screenplay by David Hayter and Alex Tse from the Alan Moore/David Gibbons graphic novel. It stars Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino and Matt Frewer. Music is by Tyler Bates and cinematography by Larry Fong.
1985 and someone is killing all our superheroes. Time for the remaining super heroes to band together - but what they find as they fight the good fight is potential annihilation for everyone.
It was quite a battle getting Watchmen onto the screen, over twenty years of legal wrangling and controversies, it got to the point where fans of the source material doubted it would ever happen - and even if it did it was sure to be a monstrous failure. How pleasing to find that not only did it make it to the screen, but it is also a genre bending winner - well to some of us of course...
One has to take into context just how potent and original the graphic novel was back in 1986/7, we are dealing with very mature themes, superheroes with serious psychological baggage. Alan Moore lit the touch paper in the comic book kingdom that the rest have since followed to keep the torch burning well into the new millennium. Snyder has achieved top line results in getting both the feel and look of the source, even if some or Moore's cunning cynicism has been lost in translation.
Story is set right in the middle of nuclear paranoia and the fear of the Soviets in 85, the America we view is dank and depressing, noirish in vibe (aided by Rorschach's clobber and detective inclinations), it's a world on the road to nowhere. We are also at a time in the alternate world where superheroes are banned from operating, forcing The Watchmen to become vigilantes - that is if they can get along and shunt their psycho discord to one side. The back stories of the main protagonists are fully formed, and these are not jolly characters, so much so you worry the fate of mankind is doomed if these are who we rely on to save us.
There was in no way that Snyder would be able to produce a comic book filmic adaptation that would be as worshipped in that sphere, to rival that of the worship the novel has in its own. However, coming at it as someone who only sought out the source material after seeing the film, it shines bright for newcomers who are ironically seeking darker tints in superhero tales. Oh it has the requisite nifty twists (a clinical mystery to be unearthed), booming visuals, excellent effects work and smartly constructed action set-pieces, but narratively it's moody and calls for the utmost attention on dialogue passages (I have found it gets better on repeat viewings).
Snyder clearly cared about the project and that love is evident in the movie. It was never going to appease all and sundry, but at worst to hardcore Moore fans it's at least an honourable failure, to many others it's a smart and stylishly refreshing genre booster. 8/10
Done!
My notes from when I imported the Ultimate cut in 2010.
10. www.imdb.com/review/rw2197994/?ref_=tt_urv
2 out of 9 found this helpful.
The first thing i have to mention is the inclusion of the Tales of the Black Freignhter into the film,which has a rough Anima look and a very morbid story,that helps at unrolling some loose links and making a stronger foundation of understanding the moods that the characters are feeling.
The voice of the film,Jackie Earle Haley gives a tremendous turn as Rorschach,with Haley giving a huge amount of dept,and expressiveness to someone who is (mostly) behind a mask in the film,and he also has a deep 1940s film Noir style voice. Billy Crudup gives an unnerving performance as Manhattan,,whose voice Crudup keeps calm,and his attitude collected,whilst the eye-catching Malin Akerman brings the sensitivities and frustrations Spectre has towards her fellow superheroes.
With the violence in the film,Snyder stylishly mixes the rough style action of Bourne films,with the smooth- slick refined Slo-Mo action . Although there are a few small flaws with the action, (The prison scene had way too much slow-mo)the main thing Snyder does well is being able to handle such a complex story and still keep it cinematic,even with "strange" edges in the panels (Manhattan sees hope in mankind,due to a girl forgiving an attempted rapist,and having a child with him!) Snyder grips the vast story in a strikingly confident manner, with the story going back-and-forth between the 1940's and 1980's,Snyder gives each era a different appearance,with the 40's having an ice cool post-WWII shine,and the 80's having a bit of a bright neon crisp,as the Watchmen find out who watches them.