Watchmen: Ultimate Cut
As sprawling in its epic scope as any comic book movie even beyond The Dark Knight, director Zack Snyderâs adaptation of the once-thought unfilmable graphic novel by Alan Moore brings all the elements action-wise one could hope for yet so much more: A political subtext through this alternate universe of costumed crimefighters that resonates into our own culture as well. The cast, mostly made up of unknowns along with some seasoned vets works so well because the viewer quickly identifies them by the character instead of the actor: Malin Ackermanâs Silk Spectre II has a vacuous quality which adds to her indifference early on to having been a superheroine, until she remembers the thrill of it; Billy Crudupâs Dr. Manhattan shows that even a being with godlike abilities can still be mentally weak upstairs, allowing himself to be manipulated to help carry out the villainâs master plan; Matthew Goodeâs Oxymandias may be the worldâs smartest man, yet his plan to âsave mankindâ involves some horrific means to an end; Jeffrey Dean Morganâs Comedian (seen mostly in flashback) may be one of cinemaâs ultimate nihilistic bastards, seeing nothing wrong with gunning down innocents in order to maintain the peace; Patrick Wilsonâs Nite Owl II is kind of a sensitive wimp, who nonetheless has the technical know-how to get the job done; veteran performers Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, and Stephen McHattie all do fine work as well; and then we have Jackie Earl Haley tearing the house down as the legendary Rorschach: refusing to trade in his values for a perceived better good, believing that society itself is depraved and that vicious criminals deserve the ultimate justice he dishes out in them, even in the confines of a prison, Rorschach is the only true HERO in a film filled with superheroes, whether it be telling a criminal psychiatrist that his theories about ârehabilitatingâ criminals is a bunch of hogwash, to exacting a vicious revenge upon a child murderer who claims to be sick and begs to be helped. That Haley isnât even being CONSIDERED for any Supporting Actor awards is a joke (possibly because ž of his screen time is spent under a mask), because it is his character that drives the ultimate point home: When refusing to buckle under to a herd mentality that allows for the deaths of millions, it is he whom it is determined must be silenced for the so-called âgreater goodâ (or is he?). The soundtrack selection of songs, fascinating and evocative, brings out just the right emotions, even for a sex scene between two major characters which earned some criticism from select fans. The animated segments for âTales Of The Black Freighterâ (Ultimate Cut Only) provides a fascinating parallel for the main story using the voice of Gerald Butler in a haunted pirate ship story. Most importantly, this is a film that (in the version I watched) runs a solid 3 hours and 35 minutes, and yet never loses the viewerâs interest and in many ways leaves them wanting more, despite some elements omitted that were in the graphic novel (Rorschachâs landlady, certain elements of the villainâs master plan). Overall, a triumph, perhaps the most complex superhero movie ever made, and regardless of what the fucking Oscars think, the best film of 2009âŚ
10/10