Just saw the movie. I tried not to read any reviews, and I didn't re-read the graphic novel beforehand (though I won't pretend the latter was some sort of premeditated move meant to render me as unbiased as possible - I just find it too depressing). I did, however, click on some link at one point and read a bit of someone's critique - mostly about the movie losing focus after the first 30 minutes, and how its "slavish" faithfulness to the source material made it aimless and chaotic.
Well.
I loved it. From start to finish, save for two scenes marred by words too big to fit on any screen (the "What happened to the American Dream?" exchange, and the "Rapists having babies is the shit" speech). I loved the sprawling tableau feel of it, the ambiance- and image-based narrative, the uneven pace, which gave me time to recover from seeing pregnant ladies get shot (someone should look into the therapeutic effects of contemplating Patrick Wilson's chest hair), the title sequence (obviously), the music (ditto), the acting... Jeffrey Dean Morgan was great. Jackie Earle Haley was just stellar. Patrick Wilson either has the best agent ever, or the casting directors for his movies are geniuses. I keep seeing him play basically a variation of the same guy, but he fits the bill every time. I don't know if it's still acting if you're a big blue gob of CGI, but I found myself spellbound by Dr. Manhattan's delivery, so bravo Billy Crudup. For some reason though, I was most impressed by Matthew Goode. I thought he was pitch-perfect, just oozing this larger than life, self-satisfied charisma. I had actually only seen the guy once before - in one of those NYT Style showcases - and remember finding him revoltingly narcissistic (seriously, you might need a palate cleanser after that one - have a Joseph, or a Rosario). So maybe it was just another case of perfect casting? No matter, I don't care. His Ozymandias was spot-on.
You should go see it. Just so it breaks even in overseas gross. It's the right thing to do.
Well.
I loved it. From start to finish, save for two scenes marred by words too big to fit on any screen (the "What happened to the American Dream?" exchange, and the "Rapists having babies is the shit" speech). I loved the sprawling tableau feel of it, the ambiance- and image-based narrative, the uneven pace, which gave me time to recover from seeing pregnant ladies get shot (someone should look into the therapeutic effects of contemplating Patrick Wilson's chest hair), the title sequence (obviously), the music (ditto), the acting... Jeffrey Dean Morgan was great. Jackie Earle Haley was just stellar. Patrick Wilson either has the best agent ever, or the casting directors for his movies are geniuses. I keep seeing him play basically a variation of the same guy, but he fits the bill every time. I don't know if it's still acting if you're a big blue gob of CGI, but I found myself spellbound by Dr. Manhattan's delivery, so bravo Billy Crudup. For some reason though, I was most impressed by Matthew Goode. I thought he was pitch-perfect, just oozing this larger than life, self-satisfied charisma. I had actually only seen the guy once before - in one of those NYT Style showcases - and remember finding him revoltingly narcissistic (seriously, you might need a palate cleanser after that one - have a Joseph, or a Rosario). So maybe it was just another case of perfect casting? No matter, I don't care. His Ozymandias was spot-on.
You should go see it. Just so it breaks even in overseas gross. It's the right thing to do.
