The Watchmen Reviews Are All Over The Place

 

I've been reading a bunch of different Watchmen reviews over the last few days, and it looks like some of my worries about the film are coming true.  A lot of the reviews are incredibly positive and are hailing the film as a masterpiece, others are lukewarm and say the film has its high points and its low points.  And others still are calling the film a total failure.  Long, boring, dense and (worst of all) a disgrace of its comic book forefather.

 

So what's the truth then?  How can opinions on the film be so wildly diverging?  As I mentioned in my review of the film a while back, I really think that this film isn't for everyone.  While I freely admit to loving it, I'm also aware of what many people will see as faults in the film.  The slow pacing, the incredible amounts of gore, the omissions and small things that are different from the book, the changed ending, Zack Snyder's preference for lots of slow-motion scenes.  Add on top of that a very complicated plot with superhero characters that aren't cookie cutter symbols of good and evil but who are flawed people just like you and I and you get some very mixed audience reactions.

 

Over at Hero Complex, they've posted some snippets of these differing reviews.  Here's some examples of what I'm talking about:

 

Here's an example of a negative review:

 

Christy Lemire, Associated Press: Yes, I've read "Watchmen." I understand why it matters culturally, why it's considered revolutionary in its exploration of flawed superheroes, why it moved you. It moved me, too. And still — or, rather, because of that — I found director Snyder's adaptation hugely disappointing, faithful as it is to the graphic novel. That rigid reverence should please purists — tiny details from individual comic-book panels are recreated lovingly on the big screen — but it also contributes to the film's considerable bloat. At almost three hours, "Watchmen" tries to cram in nearly everything writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons originally depicted, but then the ending feels rushed.

 

Here's an example of a positive review:

 

George "El Guapo" Roush, Latino Review: Watchmen may be one of the most beautifully shot superhero movies, nay, beautifully shot movies period, I've ever seen. From the opening scene to the end credits, each scene looks as if it just jumped off the page of a comic book and landed in your lap. Everything from the lighting to the camera angles, to the color palette is striking to behold. I was blown away by how beautiful this movie is. And while looks alone don't make a film great, it certainly doesn't hurt. The costumes, sets and CGI all blend seamlessly together to make Watchmen a sure Oscar contender for next year, at least in cinematography and costume design he academy likes to s---- on any movie superhero related.The other thing that makes Watchmen an almost perfect film is the way the characters are portrayed on screen. Everyone in the movie has issues, secrets and pain they deal with daily. Character backgrounds are explained either through flashbacks or just from simple character interaction. Each person becomes more and more complex and draws you in to the story that much deeper.

 

And here's one I probably agree with the most.  It's a mixed review that really stresses how you should go and see the film and then make up your own mind.

 

Brad Meltzer, bestselling novelist: Saw "Watchmen" last night. You have to go see it and decide for yourself. You have to. Don't read reviews. Don't be influenced. Make your own decision (just like when the comic came out). But let me just say this -- seeing the film is like seeing, 20 years later, the girl/boy from junior high that you had your biggest crush on. It's thrilling. And gets your blood flying -- really flying. But what stands out most is what's different and imperfect and therefore (unfairly or fairly) outstandingly wrong. What they get perfect is so damn perfect (it's insane how perfect). What they get wrong feels like lemons on your papercuts. But go see. You'll know.

 

I really do feel that this film is going to be one of those "Love it" or "Hate it" films that fans just can't agree on.  Some people are going to hail Watchmen as the greatest comic book movie of all time, and others are going to decry it as an utter failure that should never have been made.  Some people will fall in between though.  Of that I'm sure, for I'm one of them.  While I definitely lean very strongly towards the side that will be worshipping it as a cinematic masterpiece, I (as I tend to do on most things) fall short of joining the zealots in their idolatry as they drop to their knees and pray at the alter of Rorschach. 

 

I loved the film, make no mistakes about that.  But to say it's the greatest comic book movie ever is a claim you'll never hear me make.  That's just simply impossible.  The perfect comic book movie has already been made and nothing else will ever come close to it.  I speak, of course, of this film.

 

So what will your opinion be?  I'll be interested to hear what you all have to say once you've seen the film.  Let me know what you think in the comments.  I'd love to get a good and lively discussion going with everyone's different views.