Feb
26
Warner Bros. has lifted their embargo, and the reviews of “Watchmen” are pouring in. Harry’s seen it; Devin’s seen it; Moriarty’s seen it twice! I’m going to see it a week from today. I think the general consensus among the reviewers on the geek sites is positive. Yes, the ending’s different. I’ve already spoiled it for myself. I mean, hell, I know how the graphic novel ends. You can hardly “spoil” an adaptation of something if you’ve already experienced it in another medium. What’s crucial for the film version of “Watchmen,” like with any adaptation, is that it lives up to source material.
I’m fairly confident that “Watchmen” will impress me. Sometimes I get nervous when I read glowing reviews of a film. I’ll go in with astronomical expectations and invariably be disappointed. Take “Friday the 13th.” Negative reviews, however, keep my expectations low, making them much easier to be exceeded. Still, with “Watchmen,” I know that it’s largely faithful to the graphic novel, and nothing that’s been omitted sounds like it’ll completely ruin the film for me.
The reviews I’ve read all hail the Dr. Manhattan on Mars sequence, where he reflects on his origins in an extended flashback, as the best part of the movie. It’s a great chapter in the book, but not my favorite. No, that’d be the section with Rorschach in prison. I’ve read that that’s still in the film. In fact, Nite-Owl and Silk Spectre’s attempt to spring Rorschach during that part of the movie has been expanded. I always dig costumed weirdoes beating the stuffing out of nogoodniks. So it’s quite possible my favorite part of the graphic novel will be even more glorious on-screen.
I’ll see for myself in a week.
-Brad Lohan
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