Post by Ben on Feb 27, 2009 13:41:33 GMT -7
“The world will look up and shout, 'Save us,' and I'll whisper, “No.”
After more than a decade of rejected adaptations and legal struggles, Watchmen, the veritable queen mother of graphic novels, has finally made its way to the big screen. Watchmen is a superhero story in only the most shallow sense – it simultaneously builds upon and dissects the conventions of the genre. The novel is set in an alternate 1985, in which Nixon still controls the presidency, Cold War paranoia runs rampant, and former 'masked adventurers' are learning to cope with life after a congressional act outlaws their profession.
When former heroes begin disappearing, several of the characters suspect a plot, and must come out of retirement to unravel the far-reaching and frightening conspiracy.
At the helm is 300 director Zak Snyder, and his visual prowess is apparent in the trailer.
The images are stylized and vividly colored, and seem faithful to Dave Gibbons' original art. The characters' looks are updated, but capture the spirit of the originals. The trailer includes some important moments and lines from the book, but doesn't reveal much about the plot. With such a cult following, Snyder should be careful about making major changes
Each character in Watchmen is superbly developed, and it will be interesting to see if the film will be able to strike a balance between satisfying pacing and sufficient back story. Without proper portrayal of each hero's complex psychological profile, Watchmen will be just another superhero movie. Ultimately, Watchmen is about superheroes preventing doomsday. What makes it unique and important, though, is how each of its characters answers the question, “What does is mean to save the world?”
This gleeful fanboy gives Watchmen two preemptive thumbs up!
After more than a decade of rejected adaptations and legal struggles, Watchmen, the veritable queen mother of graphic novels, has finally made its way to the big screen. Watchmen is a superhero story in only the most shallow sense – it simultaneously builds upon and dissects the conventions of the genre. The novel is set in an alternate 1985, in which Nixon still controls the presidency, Cold War paranoia runs rampant, and former 'masked adventurers' are learning to cope with life after a congressional act outlaws their profession.
When former heroes begin disappearing, several of the characters suspect a plot, and must come out of retirement to unravel the far-reaching and frightening conspiracy.
At the helm is 300 director Zak Snyder, and his visual prowess is apparent in the trailer.
The images are stylized and vividly colored, and seem faithful to Dave Gibbons' original art. The characters' looks are updated, but capture the spirit of the originals. The trailer includes some important moments and lines from the book, but doesn't reveal much about the plot. With such a cult following, Snyder should be careful about making major changes
Each character in Watchmen is superbly developed, and it will be interesting to see if the film will be able to strike a balance between satisfying pacing and sufficient back story. Without proper portrayal of each hero's complex psychological profile, Watchmen will be just another superhero movie. Ultimately, Watchmen is about superheroes preventing doomsday. What makes it unique and important, though, is how each of its characters answers the question, “What does is mean to save the world?”
This gleeful fanboy gives Watchmen two preemptive thumbs up!