Post by the sandman on Mar 8, 2009 16:58:28 GMT -5
I saw the film last night, and while I didn’t love it, I did thoroughly like it.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
Concerning M.M.s observations:
Many of the changes M.M. cites were made because to include all of the subplots would have produced a 5-or-so hour film, and would thus be completely unmarketable. (Neither distributors nor theaters will touch any film that tops 180 minutes now; they simply can’t put enough showings on the schedule in the day to make it profitable for them.) A few of the more favorite sub-plots (most notably the street scenes and the Rorschach therapist interviews were filmed and are intended to be included in the extended cut DVD release. That release should have the animated “Black Freighter” storyline inserted into the proper places episodically in the story as well, which means the extended cut DVD version likely will top out around 5 hours.)
The “Squid”
Some of the other alterations were made for the sake of visual coherence. The squid was dropped due to the essential unfilmable aspect. The squid is a “Hulk’s Purple Trousers.” Something that works in the comics medium, but on film, live action, would reduce itself to pure parody. (These things are called “Hulk’s Purple Trousers” because in the comics, Bruce Banner (and thus the Hulk) is always waking around in bright purple pants. In reality, a stranger walking around in bright purple pants would be the silliest and most easily found individual in the nation. In a comic medium, you don’t even notice, but on film, it would be ridiculous.) I know the squid is a big bone of contention amongst purists of the novel (which I absolutely am), but I realize that it would have been a poor choice for the film version. It would have put a punchline on to the end of something not meant to be a joke, and required a LOT of set-up to realize on screen. Making it Manhattan simplified the story, removed a potential visual disaster, yet still kept the plot, motivations, and story intact.
The island subplot, as well as the subplots about the brain of the psychic being stolen, the writers and artists being kidnapped, etc, was dropped because without the squid, these were no longed needed. People often forget that film is by necessity a much more terse medium than print literature, and the plot of “Watchmen” is so complex that it absolutely had to be streamlined in order to be successfully filmed.
Rorschach and the child killer
Rorschach kills the child killer with the cleaver rather than by chaining him up and leaving him the hacksaw not because that isn’t a good idea, and not because it wouldn’t have worked in the film, but because most audience members would see it and instantly assume that “Watchmen” was simply ripping off “Saw.”
It is a valid criticism that there are elements of the film that are never fully explained. But it is important to realize that many of these things were explained in the novel by pure exposition. Too much exposition is poison to a film. After all, this is “Watchmen,” not “My Dinner With Andre.” It was either let these things ride, put in massive amounts of exposition, or eliminate them from the film entirely. Of the three options, none are perfect, but the first is the least objectionable. Unfortunately, it also means that the film is far less accessible to those who have not read the novel.
All in all I enjoyed the film. My main criticism SPOILER is that during the battle with the Knot-Tops in the alley, Nite Owl and Silk Spectre wantonly kill the thugs. In the novel, they beat their assailants mercilessly, but they do not kill them. I felt that violated not only the letter, but also the spirit of the novel, and the nature of the characters. Dan and Laurie are violent, to be sure, but they are not killers.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
Concerning M.M.s observations:
Many of the changes M.M. cites were made because to include all of the subplots would have produced a 5-or-so hour film, and would thus be completely unmarketable. (Neither distributors nor theaters will touch any film that tops 180 minutes now; they simply can’t put enough showings on the schedule in the day to make it profitable for them.) A few of the more favorite sub-plots (most notably the street scenes and the Rorschach therapist interviews were filmed and are intended to be included in the extended cut DVD release. That release should have the animated “Black Freighter” storyline inserted into the proper places episodically in the story as well, which means the extended cut DVD version likely will top out around 5 hours.)
The “Squid”
Some of the other alterations were made for the sake of visual coherence. The squid was dropped due to the essential unfilmable aspect. The squid is a “Hulk’s Purple Trousers.” Something that works in the comics medium, but on film, live action, would reduce itself to pure parody. (These things are called “Hulk’s Purple Trousers” because in the comics, Bruce Banner (and thus the Hulk) is always waking around in bright purple pants. In reality, a stranger walking around in bright purple pants would be the silliest and most easily found individual in the nation. In a comic medium, you don’t even notice, but on film, it would be ridiculous.) I know the squid is a big bone of contention amongst purists of the novel (which I absolutely am), but I realize that it would have been a poor choice for the film version. It would have put a punchline on to the end of something not meant to be a joke, and required a LOT of set-up to realize on screen. Making it Manhattan simplified the story, removed a potential visual disaster, yet still kept the plot, motivations, and story intact.
The island subplot, as well as the subplots about the brain of the psychic being stolen, the writers and artists being kidnapped, etc, was dropped because without the squid, these were no longed needed. People often forget that film is by necessity a much more terse medium than print literature, and the plot of “Watchmen” is so complex that it absolutely had to be streamlined in order to be successfully filmed.
Rorschach and the child killer
Rorschach kills the child killer with the cleaver rather than by chaining him up and leaving him the hacksaw not because that isn’t a good idea, and not because it wouldn’t have worked in the film, but because most audience members would see it and instantly assume that “Watchmen” was simply ripping off “Saw.”
It is a valid criticism that there are elements of the film that are never fully explained. But it is important to realize that many of these things were explained in the novel by pure exposition. Too much exposition is poison to a film. After all, this is “Watchmen,” not “My Dinner With Andre.” It was either let these things ride, put in massive amounts of exposition, or eliminate them from the film entirely. Of the three options, none are perfect, but the first is the least objectionable. Unfortunately, it also means that the film is far less accessible to those who have not read the novel.
All in all I enjoyed the film. My main criticism SPOILER is that during the battle with the Knot-Tops in the alley, Nite Owl and Silk Spectre wantonly kill the thugs. In the novel, they beat their assailants mercilessly, but they do not kill them. I felt that violated not only the letter, but also the spirit of the novel, and the nature of the characters. Dan and Laurie are violent, to be sure, but they are not killers.