The long-awaited film adaptation of the graphic novel Watchmen will finally be released this Friday. Thanks to the buzz surrounding this superhero epic, Watchmen could be the biggest hit of 2009 so far.
When Watchmen first graced this writer’s palate, it was love at first panel. Alan Moore’s exquisite graphic novel about everyday superheros over several generations had everything a good story required: action, romantic intrigue, mystery, rogue heroes, dazzling magic and a powerful ending. Now, Watchmen is coming to more of the masses as a blockbuster film directed by Zack Snyder (300).
It’s been a long time coming, but Watchmen fans are finally clinking glasses in relief. The $120 million superhero saga has been through countless editors and scripts, swirling around in Hollywood limbo for more than 20 years. Moore wrote the 12-series comic book in 1987, and since then many directors have taken a stab at the film adaptation: Britain’s Paul Greengrass (the Bourne franchise), Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) and Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys).
As expected, Watchmen is winning major buzz before its March 6 release. Pegged at three hours long, the film blends CGI visuals with a finely crafted story that has already forged a dedicated fan base. Watchmen pushes the envelope with its extreme violence — arms are sewn off, blood spurts from wounds — while also going naughty with a very sexual scene between Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson) and Silk Spectre II (Swedish-Canadian actor Malin Akerman).
Notably, Warner Bros. decided to cast relative unknowns in most of the roles. Matthew Goode (Ozymandias), Billy Crudup (Dr. Manhattan), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Comedian) and Jackie Earl Haley (Rorschach) are all starring in the kind of blockbuster you’d expect to see helmed by Tom Cruise, Matt Damon or Daniel Craig. But going with C-list stars is smart: Watchmen becomes more about the story and the visual recreation of 1980s America than it does about celebrity actors.
But it wasn’t a peachy road for Watchmen‘s production team. A lawsuit filed by studio Twentieth Century Fox against Warner Bros. for alleged copyright violations came about through a dispute over ownership of the project. It could have delayed or even prevented the film’s release but luckily the studios reached a settlement under which Fox will receive a portion of the gross receipts.
The reviews will be pouring in on Thursday and Friday, and Watchmen could suffer the same fate as any film adaptation buoyed by marketing millions. The hype may trump the actual result, true, but Watchmen will at the very least give the book’s fans a chance to see how Dr. Manhattan and his cohorts could be translated onto celluloid.
