It gave me chills. Simply put. Never have I sat through a movie of this multitude so attentively and so completely dumbfounded. To be completely honest, I sat down in my uncomfortably rickety recliner of a chair with a haze of oncoming disappointment sneaking into the forefront of my mind. Movies like this, adaptations from books, comic books, anything of the sort, are never expected to be exactly as you envisioned it. It just doesn’t happen. But, as soon as the first scene began and Rorschach’s harsh, raspy voice encircled the darken theatre my doubt and apprehension lifted. Zack Snyder and his crew obviously did their homework.

The movie follows a sequence of events that happen after a self-proclaimed and American government promoted hero, the Comedian, is found dead on the concrete directly below his loft. A vigilante by the name Rorschach, a fellow cohort of the Comedian’s back when masked heroes were still excepted as a form of protection in the society, attempts to pull together his old team, the Watchmen, to warn them of their friend’s untimely demise and that they too may be the victim of another insolent killing. Of course, the plot becomes much more complex than I’m letting off, but to honestly put such a brilliancy into words is beyond my capabilities. You simply understand it; never comprehend it.

The one thing that blindsided me and left me staggering was the use of direct quoting from the graphic novel, and also the freeze-frame images. Literally, I could hold my book up to the screen and see the panels coming to life; Rorschach leaping into the comedian’s busted window, Dan Dreilberg’s inner depression swallowing him whole as he sits slumped against the walling of his lair, his costume hanging behind him like an haunting memory after Rorschach‘s unannounced visit, simple things that the normal movie-goer would never take a second glance at leave die-hard fans with their mouths agape and minds blown. The meticulous detail displayed within the movie is astounding. It all looked as if it had been blown up directly from the novel and structured exactly the same 

The opening credits were complete perfection, also. All the background, all the set-up you could possibly need was condensed into an easy to swallow pellet to the tune of “Times are Changing” by Bob Dylan(rightly so). We see the processor’s of The Watchmen, The Minutemen, in action; both their rising and decline in public popularity. It was a seamless  because it never interfered with the rest of the movie; there were no unnecessary cuts to the past to help explain America’s sudden distaste and distrust of masked protectors, it is simply implied.

There is a lot of complaining going around about some of the cuts the movie made that were important within the graphic novel, which is generally expected and accepted with the terms of taking on such an extensive project . I’m honestly very forgiving when it comes to things like this what with a time limit of about three hours to hold a audience’s attention span long enough to get an entire comic book series interpreted into film. Minor character developments and back-story’s that don’t particularly make a difference within the movie is not as blasphemous as it seems. All I have to say on that particular matter other than telling those few whiners to get off their computer and change their shirt and maybe call up Jenny Craig is that, one; the keyword is adaptation. And number two, Synder condensed, flawlessly might I add, an entire graphic novel into, hit or miss, two hours and forty minutes. Pivotal scenes were shown and executed just right and still withheld the true spirit Watchmen has embodied for millions of fans. If that isn’t good enough, then hug your George Lucas pillow, it’s the only comfort you’ll receive.

So, before I start to really gush, let me sum this up. I loved it. I love Zack Synder’s filming style; I felt the dramatic zooming in and out and the slow motion during certain action scenes fit perfectly with the graphic novel’s ambience. He also focused in on the symbolism that needed and used it to his advantage like the infamous smiley face. Not to the point of bashing you repeatedly in the head with it, but enough to help you realize the importance. The ending had me laughing, just like the graphic novel and I stood up from my grimy blue chair blown away and feeling fulfilled. This movie held its own to all the hype it has received and I believe I will need to see it at least five more times before it officially sinks in.

Remember, once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

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Tags: 300, bob dylan, watchmen, zack snyder