I watched Watchmen

Sukumar Ranganathan — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Last Sunday, I watched Watchmen. Despite the not-so-favourable reviews the movie received internationally, and the fact that director Jack Snyder chose to do away with the entire metafiction loop in the book, I enjoyed the movie. Here's why:

1. The title sequence: Set to Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A Changing, this has to be the most evocative title sequence in a movie -- ever. It presents a kalaeidoscopic history of costumed superheroes and an alternative history of the US that is as gripping as it is all-too-short.

2. The music: Dylan, My Chemical Romance doing Dylan; Cohen; Hendrix; S&G; Nat King Cole. Need I say more. The third best soundtrack in my opinion since 1969 and Almost Famous.

3. Billy Cruddup: Sure, he can't be seen as himself for much of the time (he plays Dr Manhattan) but Cruddup is one of the finest, if unrecognised, actors of his generation and his work in Watchmen is testament to this.

4. Miss Jupiter's costume: Nice

5. Rorschah: Jackie Earle Haley makes this character eminently likeable and memorable. And loved the mask

6. The back stories: Told as voice overs, and ensure that the movie remains by and large faithful to the book. I especially liked the sequence of Rorschah explaining when he really became Rorschah

7. The second half of the movie

8. The length

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I watched Watchmen