Book & Movie Review: The Watchmen

A big shiny blue penis. That’s definitely not what the movie is about, but it sure is the topic of much hype – Dr Manhattan’s big blue glowing penis. So here’s a picture of it.

Get used to it and then when you watch the movie it won’t bother you that much. That aside…

Having finished the graphic novel, written by Allan Moore who also authored The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and V for Vendetta, both of which were adapted to film, I finally went to see The Watchmen-movie. With the graphic novel still fresh in my memory I was impressed with how close the movie adaptation was to the source material. In this lies probably the Catch-22 of the film. Had it been any less true to the original, a very cultic fan base would have cussed it. The fans are happy. After all, it claims to be a movie made by fans for the fans. But, those viewers (whom are the majority) not familiar with The Watchmen-comics (uhm…sorry, graphic novel series) were probably very much at a loss, hence the numerous accounts of walkouts. The superheroes in The Watchmen are not your typical superheroes. Apart from Dr Manhattan and his glowing blue penis, they do not have any super powers. They are merely vigilantes – and mostly retired vigilantes at that. Not knowing this and expecting Superman or Spider-Man is sure to be a let down. “Watchmen isn't a superhero movie,” complains one reviewer, “it's a pretentious turkey that thinks it's better than the genre.” I’m certain he did not read the graphic novel.

Another problem was probably the R-rating of the film had in the United States. Many viewers were just not prepared for the amount of blood and violence, nudity and sex, in this film. In Korea, where I saw the film, it is rated 18.

The graphic novel is an excellent example of postmodern fiction. The main story happens in an alternate history, with U.S. president Nixon still in reign and where masked crime fighters are common celebrities in society. There are many plots; narratives, narrative levels and narrative jumps; intertextual references; ontological and epistemological issues and moral dilemmas.

The film is much more streamlined with many of the narratives left out, making it easier to follow, I would say, than the graphic novel; however, the graphic novel has much more time for character development and I think the reader has much more invested in the characters than is the case of the viewers towards the movie characters. In any case, the casting was well done, I thought. Dr Manhattan is played by Billy Crudop, who played the leading role in one of my all time favourite movies, Jesus’ Son (1999). Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach is also an excellent choice.


I loved the soundtrack, which included Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable”, Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’”, Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence”, Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee”, Billie Holliday’s “You’re My Thrill”, Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, Nina Simone’s “Pirate Jenny” and “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, and some more.

It is a good film, but can probably only truly be appreciated once you’ve read the graphic novel. Although, when I went to see it I did so with two friends who had not read the graphic novel, yet they still enjoyed it, even though they had read many reviews complaining how boring the two hour fourty minute movie is. Of the two friends one said it was a bit long (even though he enjoyed it), while the other raved about.