I am posting this on LISNEWS because I think the review says something about the power of the printed page.
Review of the movie “Watchman” on NPR:
Watchmen was a landmark as a graphic novel, but as a film it’s only pedestrian.
After I saw this movie, I went back to the graphic novel. I was struck again that what made Watchmen a sensation was not its plot, but a structural denseness and complexity — the way it used multiple elements to comment on the core story in an almost Talmudic way. That essence is close to impossible to re-create on-screen, even with a nearly three-hour running time.
Listen or read full review here.
I thought the movie did justice for about 2 hours.
I think they did a good job of simulating the experience of viewing some of the panels in the book… but then they had to tell the story, and even though I know the graphic novel pretty well, when I got to the end of the movie, I didn’t have any idea why The Comedian was killed.
I thought it was a beautiful movie, and I wanted it to be 30 minutes longer to fill in some of the missing story, most notably, Why? Why any of it? There isn’t any motive for Dr. M to do what the movie says he did to keep the US and Soviets from warring.
But still, I’m glad it was finally made, and made well enough that it’s not an embarrassment. I liked it a lot, but I’ll like it more at 5 hours on DVD.