Reviews by:
@the_owlseyes
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“Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor...I am Pagliacci"
Alan Moore, Watchmen
Can superheroes thrive in this world?
PLOT
"In 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach into his own sprawling investigation, uncovering something that could completely change the course of history as we know it" or "One of the best and worst comic book's adaptations".
SCRIPT
This is where I'm a bit undecided because it respects the comic's style and structure but it goes against it's core theme. The comic condemns violence and the movie glamourize it. If we consider it only as a movie it would work, but as an adaptation it's a bit unrespectful of the source material. Fortunately the characters are left intact and their arch is interesting and satisfying. The movie has changed the climax, which makes Ozymandias a character more complex than in the books and Dr. Mahnattan more compelling. I like the themes touched by the movie: how superhero would thrive in our reality, existence, time, deity, humanity, good and evil, corporation which have oversight over the superheroes image, war life an death. I think that this is a movie ahead of its time, in terms of style and themes, because it would've worked better today, where every superhero tropes is being mocked and twisted. The fact that there's a lot of graphic and good looking gore, which makes the movie more faithful to the comics, is what makes it an original superhero movie and one which could have thrived well today. Overall it isn't mediocre but it's a bit hard to value it, because it depends on how you consider it, an adaptation or an original movie.
Script: 8/10
ACTING
All the actors do a fine job and I think that the best one are Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Haley delivers a unforgettable performance as Rorschach and Morgan's Comedian is the one who steals the show. Crudup isn't the best one but his characterization of the Dr. Mahnattan is pretty remarkable. What I find out of place are Carla Gugino and Malin Akerman, who tends to over and underact and it harms the experience a little. It isn't the best acting overall but it's good.
Acting: 7/10
PHOTOGRAPHY
It's undeniable, this movie is good looking and it has the signature marks of Zack Snyder. Light isn't used in a boring way and the director is able to make shadows interesting. There isn't a grey color filter like his movies of the Snyderverse and it's because here colours are vibrant. I like how the bluish colour of Dr. Mahnattan is present in a lot of scenes, to underline the fact that his like a God in his world. The visuals of Mars are just awesome. I've nothing more to say about that because I like how this movie handles this section.
Photography: 8/10
EDITING
This is what makes one of the closest adaptation to a comic book. It's particularly striking in the opening credits and it remains consistent during all the runtime. Slow Motion is used in a meaningful way and a lot of shots are directly taken from the comic. There's a variety of shots and this makes the movie extrememely dynamic and enjoyable. Sometimes Snyder tends to exaggerate a bit with style and it's a bit cringy but it doesn't hurt the movie as much as you think.
Editing: 8/10
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Even though they aren't considered top class today, they old up easily. Sometimes these're a bit sloppy but they work. I think that this movie has very good visuals and the touch of Snyder's is present in every scene. It isn't a cgi overload like other Snyder's movie but there's a lot of that. We have to consider that it's hard to pull off this kind of movie without cgi. Overall is good and acceptable. It isn't the best I've ever seen but it helps improving the movie visuals. The animated section is the cherry on top and it elevates the movie to cult status.
Special Effects: 9/10
SOUNDTRACK
This movie has a fantastic soundtrack which blends pop music of historic relevance and a very good, eerie and perfectly fitted instrumental part. Music sets up the tone of the movie since the opening credits and stick to it. The instrumental tracks are used to make characters like Rorschach more fascinating and to be amazed by Dr. Manhattan, who gets the best tracks. Overall is one of the best soundtrack I've ever heard because it's varied and it's highly stylized to evoke the comic book's atmosphere.
Soundtrack: 9/10
COSTUMES
Ordinary clothes fit the time period and defines the characters but what is impressing is the care put in the costumes. Not only these're faithful to the source material but are good looking and iconic. They also function as a commentary about the evolution of a character costume during the year. Rorschach and Nite Owl's suits are awesome and I think that it's hard to adapt them in a better way. I can say that this section is one of my favourites because it offers a wide array of costumes and superhero's suits.
Costumes: 8/10
CONCLUSION
Script: 8/10
Acting: 7/10
Photography: 8/10
Editing: 8/10
Special Effects: 9/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Costumes: 8/10
AVERAGE: 8,14
It's a pretty enjoyable movie, with good visuals, a good soundtrack and an interesting take of the superhero genre. It differs a bit from the comics and it goes against the main theme of the source material. A thing which makes it a polarizing movie. I think that this motion picture was born too early and it could have worked better today and it could be appreciate even more. Snyder is a specialist at making movies with impressive visuals and editing which are extremely polarrizing. Give it a shot because I consider it an undervalued masterpiece.
Director: Zack Snyder
Screenplay: David Hayter, Alex Tse
Cast: Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson
Soundtrack: Tyler Bates
Cinematography: Larry Fong
Running Time: 163 minutes
Budget: $135 million
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