I am not a fan of Zack Snyder, but Watchmen is the major exception. Based on a graphic novel so acclaimed that any adaptation would have to face intense scrutiny about every little thing that was done wrong. Some of the stories greatness is so comic specific that it cannot be transferred to film or television. For example, there’s a giant squid monster at the climax that would be a comic bridge too far if brought to literal life. After many drafts, I think the script here does an excellent job of using Dr. Manhattan to get to the same conclusion. (HBO made an incredible mini-series out of Watchmen, a very loose adaptation that does include the squid monster.) Then there’s the Tales of the Black Freighter comic that a kid reads during the graphic novel. There’s a 215 minute cut that includes this, and it demonstrates why it’s wise for a successful cinematic adaptation to leave it out. That leaves a 162 and a 186 minute version, and I like them both but slightly prefer the 186 minute cut.
The film works because Snyder is a better creator of images then a teller of stories. The story is already right there, leaving him to focus on bringing the panels to life. This he does expertly, but also credit to the producers for leaving so much of the adult content intact. Not just the specific look of Dr. Manhattan, but the sexist way female superheroes were and still are treated, and the traumas inflicted on them.
Leave A Comment