P.S.- more on Watchmen

I just wanted to spotlight a fantastic article by Dan Phillips of IGN in which he breaks down the adaptation from comic to film. I think he articulates most of my complaints a lot more thoroughly and efficiently than myself, and its definately worth a read if you've read the novel, or even if you havn't and wanna understand why people might have mixed reactions. I think Phillips was a little harsh on the Comedian as I think that was one of the better performances, but other than that its a spot on critique of the actual adaptation (without review the movie on its own merits). 

Also, below are some final notes that I want to add to my review:

-Once again, the biggest point of stress is in the portrayal of Ozymandias. The point was that he was supposed to be noble and whole-hearted and I think Snyder robbed him of that, and in effect robbed a lot from the story such as the mystery and the ending's emotional impact. Read the comparison article above for specifics!

-Another thing that hurts the film, though this is in no way really anyones fault or even correctable for that matter, is the nature of the graphic novel that allows the reader to go at their own pace and even go back to skim images once learning new details. The large plot simply moves too fast, even in its 2 hour 40 minute runtime, and while there's nothing that can be done about it, it's important to note

-Seriously, read that article, because everything he brings up is what I was thinking after I watched it and either forgot about or couldn't fit in my review.

The End is Nigh

Today marked the conclusion of my adventure through Alan Moore's brilliantly imagined universe in Watchmen. I had never even heard about it until about 6 months or so ago, but gradually I got caught up in the hype train for Warner Bros.' upcoming movie adaption. The combination of an isolated superhero universe involving heavy thematic overtones originally written by V for Vendetta mastermind Alan Moore and directed by the 300 film's Zack Snyder were more than enough to pique my interest, and since then I have discovered just why it is considered to be the best graphic novel of all time (though I must admit, it is the first one I have read cover to cover). Finally finishing the book has only rendered me yet more excited about the first in a series of episodic games--starting with The End is Nigh tomorrow--and, of course, the debut of the film, which I will be observing in all its IMAX glory this weekend (stay tuned for a review/comparison!).

As for Moore's original masterpiece, I must say the first thing

that struck me was Moore's talents as a writer. Even in a medium where you'd think descriptive writing would fall by the wayside (due to its accompanying illustrations) Moore utilizes an astonishingly proficient command of all aspects of language in presenting his world. It was very humbling, being a prospective writer myself, reading the words of a true master of his craft, comparable in his command of rhetoric only perhaps to J.K. Rowling. The universe he has invisioned is equally astonishing, and its not really until you get near the end that you appreciate just how carefully crafted the details of the backstory really are. Moore captures your attention right from the very beginning, and the ride only picks up speed until it screaches to its sudden and unexpected finale. Though the main ending itself left me somewhat disappointed, no other ending would have supported the themes quite as well, and the overall end sequence was superb. Overall, the story is expertly written and envisioned, and even though there are a couple quirks with the presentation, this is definitely not one to miss. Check back next week for impressions from the film and an analysis on how Snyder's vision stacks up to its source material!