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| Movie Review: Watchmen Alternate Title: Armageddon
Story: While I am sure I was
not the target audience for this film based on the graphic novel by
controversial author Alan Moore (V for Vendetta)
and illustrated by Dave Gibbons I did find a lot to
cheer about. I have read that director Zack Snyder
and writers by David Hayter and Alex Tse
stayed true to the graphic novel (which I did not read) which probably
is past and parcel of the good news, bad news. Good news: It is a beautiful film to watch. I
was visually hooked from the opening sequence through to the end. It
depicts a dark, nihilistic, world filled with despair and gloom (and
that is the good news). Snyder stayed true to the graphic novel format
and most of the scenes are viewed in a stationary, head on lens.It makes
for a very effective film goer experience. The plot is simple. It is 1985 and Richard Nixon
is in his fifth term (that was actually the scariest part of the film
for me). Soviet Russia and the US are tinkering on nuclear was and there
is a serial killer on the loose who is murdering two generations of
of masked heroes, whose days of glory are fading fast. Bad news: The simple plot should not have made
this film close to three hours long, but it did. Every masked hero has
a back story, side story and overlapping group story. Just when I thought
the film might be over, more layers of story are revealed. The movie
could have been called the Never ending Story. If you like films that are different, innovative
and violent, this one is for you. Check out the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m16nZq4Pr8c Acting: Malin Akerman (Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre
II) was cookie cutter gorgeous and fun to watch. Billy Crudup
(Jon Osterman/Dr. Manhattan) was only himself for a few scenes before
he turned into the very blue Dr. Manhattan. Matthew Goode
(Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias) was scarily vacant. Carla Gugino
(Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre) had a very cool make-up job. Jackie
Earle Haley (Walter Kovacs/Rorschach) stole the film as the
very creepy Rorschach. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Edward
Blake/the Comedian) was fine and Patrick Wilson (Dan
Dreiberg/Nite Owl II) was creepily bland. Trivia: Director Zack Snyder attended
Art Center College of Design at Pasadena, California and studied visual
art at Heatherlys School of Fine Art in Chelsea, London. He was ranked
#25 on EW's 2007 The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood list. Malin
Akerman is the lead singer of a rock band named Ozono, who
later changed their name to The Petalstones. Jackie Earle Haley
was only 17 years old when he played 19-year-old Moocher in 1979's Breaking
Away. He started acting in commercial when he was six. He has a black
belt. Mary Louise Parker (who is not in the film) dated
actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Comedian) and has a
4-year-old son with ex Billy Crudup (the two split
while she was still pregnant) who plays Dr. Manhattan. I bit icky, eh?
Predilection: I like graphic novels brought to the
big screen.
Critters: Two very mean dogs who come to a bad end
(but you do not see it happen).
Food: No time to eat when the world is going to hell
in a had basket.
Sex Spectrum: A terrific sex scene in a flying machine
with the sounds of the wonderful Leonard Cohen singing, Hallelujah,
in the background. Oh, and the very blue Dr Manhattan is naked for most
of his scenes.
Soundtrack: How can you go wrong with tunes by Leonard
Cohen, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan?
Opening Titles: A fabulous opening sequence depicting
the demise of masked hero, The Comedian.
Visual Art: Terrific.
Theater Audience: About 50 people, mostly male.
Weather: It apparently rains before Armageddon.
Squirm Scale: There is a lot of hacking, whacking
and thwacking. Be prepared.
Drift Factor: I did drift a bit when I realized that
the film as going on and on and on.
Predictability Level: I was not sure where this was
going.
Oscar Worthy: Maybe it will get a technical nod or
adaptation.
Big Screen or Rental: Big screen for sure.
Length: Two hours and 40 minutes.
LOBO HOWLS: 7.5
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