Watchmen (2009)

I recently watched Watchmen and if the question in the movie had been "Who watches Watchmen?" the answer would have been "Every fucking body!". The theater was crowded and the lines were huge. I'm the one to blame for trying to watch a blockbuster within two weeks of opening day, but hey, I loved the comic book so sue me.

I've heard Alan Moore has disowned this movie ("I'm never going to watch this fucking thing") and understandably so. Other adaptations of his books have been less than thrilling (remember this and that?). But I have the impression he'd be happy with this one. This movie is the most faithful Hollywood adaptation of a comic book I've ever seen. Within the limitations of time and media, I felt like I was reading the book again.

The characters were very well cast and shown in the movie as I remember them in the book, specially Dr. Manhattan. The only difference I see is that the character of Nite Owl II is a little too fit and manly if compared to the book. Well, I guess we had it coming since he is the "hero" in the movie (at least he gets the girl).

So, in this perspective, the movie rocked. It's faithful to the book and the ones in the audience who have read the book will love it. The tension of a possible nuclear confrontation is present at every moment and the ending makes total sense (although a little different from the one in the book). I wonder how it comes across to people who haven't read the book. I imagine they will be able to understand the reasoning behind Veidt's scheme but they may not be able to feel it. I don't know if 160 minutes is enough to create the necessary atmosphere.