Watchmen - Review
This review of Watchmen is spoiler-free!
Before the DCEU was out in the world, the majority of superhero films were more in the vein of lighter tones and happier characters. Sure we would sometimes see moments from characters that leaned into their own inner demons, but we never went too far into the dark. For those who know Zac Snyder, he's a very visual director, and his take on DC's most popular characters was polarizing for many. Before Snyder was working with the large cast of characters that is the DC pantheon, he had another group of characters on his plate that was taking up a large portion of his time. This group of characters was none other than Watchmen. One of the darkest cast of characters to ever hit the comic book screens, this felt like a story right his alley. So, without further adieu let's discuss the film that was.
Watchmen's story takes place in an alternate 1985, where superheroes have become the norm for society. After the death of one of his previous teammates, Rorschach decides that it is up to him to discover the truth about their death. Following a series of clues, he discovers that there is a global conspiracy to discredit all heroes, and decides he needs help. Seeking out the help of his other previous comrades, they discover this conspiracy goes farther than they could have ever imagined. First of all, Watchmen is an absolutely ridiculously long movie. Coming in at 3 hours and 35 minutes, this is definitely something you need to be prepared for when watching. This isn't a problem for the film though when reflecting on it, but there are so many threads being handled throughout the story that I can imagine many a viewer being confused by what is happening. Overall, for those who know the Watchmen, or are commonly able to handle complex narratives, Watchmen has a good story. But, for the large majority of audiences, this is an area that most likely will devolve into nothingness.
Being that this film is such a dense movie, there's a large cast of characters that could be discussed here in one way or another. For me though, I can't imagine two more important characters in the story than Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan. Played by Jackie Earle Haley, Rorschach is a man who is broken by the past and the only member of the original Watchmen to still wear the mantle of his past. Haley plays this man with such a devotion and pain that you can practically feel the character oozing off the screen. I won't lie though, there are points where he feels a bit over the top and like he's just trying to break out of the character. Overall, a great portrayal with a few holes.
As mentioned above, there's one other major player in this story: Dr. Manhattan. Billy Crudup takes on the role of this very important character, who has ideas for creating a world that is better. After an accident that makes him into a superhuman (the first in this world), he becomes a key player in the war between Vietnam and America. This is where we begin to see the strands of an alternate reality begin to take shape. Crudup's nuclear man quickly is targeted by the conspiracy growing beneath their feet and becomes a polarizing figure in the world as a whole. Being such an unstable human being, having to deal with being considered the perfect human, Crudup plays this role so well. Of any character in this film, I think Crudup truly grasps the perfect way to play their role. For me personally, I think this is one superhero portrayal that doesn't get enough credit in the history of superhero film, unfortunately, though one character can't make this story an all-time great.
Before discussing my biggest conflicts with this movie, I want to take one quick moment to praise the visuals of Watchmen. Snyder holds no punches in trying to match the look of the comic, and this is good and bad for him in the long run. But, one area where he succeeds in this matching of styles is without a doubt the darker tones of a world gone wrong. Speaking of following the comic to a T, I can't help but feel if Snyder had decided to remove a few of the overlapping narrative threads, this film would be more accessible for all. For a large majority of audiences, there's simply too much going on to keep up. Even for myself, I had to take time to think about what was going on and regather my mind on what I was watching on screen.
Snyder's Watchmen is most certainly a film that will go down as one of the most divisive in the superhero genre. For many, this is a perfect adaptation of a comic book that many fans have grown to love throughout the years. But, for arguably the larger audience as a whole, Watchmen is overly complex and unnecessarily cluttered. In my opinion, I believe this film's length and story are worth it if you find yourself interested in the story as it's opening. But I wouldn't recommend watching this in one sitting, because you'll find yourself tired out by the end. Watchmen is a unique film without question, and I believe for anyone who is a fan of this genre of films, this is something you should watch once in your life to create your own opinion.
