"We're society's only protection."
Directed by Zack Snyder
Produced by Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Deborah Snyder
Screenplay by David Hayter, Alex Tse
Based on "Watchmen" by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
Starring: Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson
Music by Tyler Bates
Cinematography: Larry Fong
Edited by William Hoy
Production company: Legendary Pictures, DC Comics, Cruel and Unusual Films, Lawrence Gordon Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Release date: 4 March 2009 (Belgium )
Release date: 4 March 2009 (Belgium )
Country: Canada
Budget: $130.000.000
Box office: $185.258.983
"Watchmen" is an action mystery sci-fi neo-noir film directed by Zack Snyder and adapted from the 1987 comic-book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The action is set in an alternate history in the year 1985 at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Meanwhile streets of USA are full of costumed crimefighters, superheroes, who grow unpopular among the police and the public with time. While many of the heroes retired, Doctor Manhattan and The Comedian operate as government-sanctioned agents, and Rorschach continues to operate outside the law. However, they uncover something grandiose and sinister that that may turn the course of history.
Cast
- Malin Åkerman as Laurie Juspeczyk / Silk Spectre II
- Billy Crudup as Jon Osterman / Dr. Manhattan
- Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias
- Carla Gugino as Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre
- Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs / Rorschach
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake / The Comedian
- Patrick Wilson as Daniel Dreiberg / Nite Owl II
- Matt Frewer as Moloch
- Robert Wisden as President Richard Nixon
Zack Snyder, the director of the film, is known for his comic book movies and superhero films, including "300" (2007), "Man of Steel" (2013) and its upcoming sequel, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016). To my mind, he's always succeeded in making such movies: they turned out epic, gorgeous, and exciting. Though the running time of "Watchmen" is almost 3 hours, the plot doesn't become boring. Probably just a little. Many special effects, marvelous decorations and costumes - all of these things make the right atmosphere. Moreover, I'm a DC Comics fan and this way it isn't surprising that I liked the film.
My favourite character Rorschach was performed by Jackie Earle Haley. And I want to say that it was performed toppingly! The actor demonstrated a man with a hard lot that made him cruel radical. He's always in search of justice that almost doesn't exist. Rorschach says the truth to anyone. Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian is also a charismatic character. He's contrary to himself: on the one hand, he aspires to do good, but on the other, almost all of his gestures are immoral. Jeffrey Dean Morgan coped with his role perfectly well. Patrick Wilson in the role of Nite Owl II turned out not really remarkable, frankly speaking. Daniel Dreiberg is a Batman-like figure. He uses an owl-shaped flying vehicle "Owlship", or "Archie", equipped with lots of offensive and defensive devices. His owl-ship represents advancements in propulsion, nautical engineering, and aerodynamics that would have exceeded the level of technological innovation known at that time, suggesting that Dreiberg was a genius. Unfortunately, he's a mediocre idealist that makes the character pretty typical, not unique.
"Strangenesses"
Advantages
- Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias
- Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs / Rorschach
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake / The Comedian
- Patrick Wilson as Daniel Dreiberg / Nite Owl II
Disadvantages
- It's an anti-Utopia if it's a problem
"Strangenesses"
- If somebody wants to ruin the planet what can people do?
Clue Moments
- Dr. Manhattan
- Detonation
It's important to mention that "Watchmen" isn't just a comics: it's full of serious questions and problems. I will view only several of them.
First of all, all the characters neither good nor bad, exactly like in the style of noir movies. There's no happy ending that makes a superhero film more real. It's an oxymoron, isn't it? But this way we can see that crimefighters are like ordinary people with their passions, dreams, and sins.
It's worthy of note that at the beginning of the film backgrounds are as bright as the costumes of heroes. However, closer the Armageddon is, less rich the colours of the sceneries are, that shows the depressed internal state of people. Moreover, hustle and bustle on streets are evidence of looseness and mess in people's minds.
"A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic". It may sound rueful but the fact stays the same: almost everyone is able to feel only with a person they've known. Problems of number of people are just cases for us, that make us reflect on (at the best) but not empathise.
Every war is a result of people's behaviour. Mankind constitutes itself very intelligent and developed, people are on the top of evolution. But does it mean that we may kill each other just like animal but in highly sophisticated ways? If people are so clever, why they can't solve problems with words? Violence must sink into oblivion as it's a left-over of past. I mean if people really want to stand apart from animals, they need to control their brutes. But I doubt that it's possible today.
- My Chemical Romance - Desolation Row
- Nat King Cole - Unforgettable
- Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin'
- Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound Of Silence
- Janis Joplin - Me And Bobby McGee
- KC & the Sunshine Band - I'm Your Boogie Man
- Billie Holiday - You're My Thrill
- The Philip Glass Ensemble - Pruit Igoe & Prophecies
- Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
- Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
- Budapest Symphony Orchestra - Ride Of The Valkyries
- Nina Simone - Pirate Jenny
Quotations
* * *
Rorschach: An attack on one is an attack on all of us.
* * *
Edward Blake: God help us all.
* * *
Rorschach: The world will look up and shout "Save us!"... And I'll whisper "No."
* * *
Adrian Veidt: We can save this world.
* * *
Laurie Juspeczyk: Jon thinks that there's gonna be a nuclear war.Rorschach: What if that's why someone wants us out of the way? So we can't do anything to stop it?
* * *
Jon Osterman: Leave me alone!
* * *
Dan Dreiberg: Watchmen are over. What do you suggest we do about it?Rorschach: Retribution.
* * *
Jon Osterman: Why would I save a world I no longer have any stake in?Laurie Juspeczyk: Do it for me.
* * *
Edward Blake: Just a matter of time, I suppose.
* * *
You may see the trailer here.
Plot: 8/10
Entertainment: 7/10
Acting: 8/10
Originality: 8/10
Music and Sound: 7/10
8/10
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