Watchmen Movie

There are two things to consider when looking at how everyone’s favourite naked blue superman has been interpreted for the screen. One, there’s Billy Crudup’s voice performance and motion-capture work. Two, there’s the team of animators responsible for actually drawing Dr. Manhattan.

First off – Billy Crudup is an interesting choice. Definitely not the first name I would have thought of, but definitely not a bad pick. Crudup’s a talented guy and I think he’s got exactly what it takes to tackle the good doctor.

Manhattan, for the uninitiated, is a unique character in that he’s the only hero with any real superpowers – and boy does he have power. Basically the guy can do whatever he wants – the only problem is that he’s become so powerful that he’s lost touch with humanity. As a result, he’s a little lonely. If I had to pick three words to describe Dr. Manhattan, I’d go with cold, distant, and sad. 

Now I know Crudup can do cold (see Dedication), and I know Crudup can do distant (see Almost Famous), but I’ve yet to really see him do sad. I’ve seen him angst-ridden, depressed, brooding, and miserable, but not sad in the purest sense of the word. You know, not angry, not frustrated, just the “I’m so sad I need to get away to Mars to clear my head for a bit” kind of sad.

But I’m not too worried, because this is where the animators come in. From what I’ve seen, it looks like they’ve nailed the patented subtly-sad Dr. Manhattan face. In the publicity stills the poor doctor looks just as upset as he does in the comic. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know Crudup did a lot of motion-capture work, so he totally deserves credit for the sad-face, but I think the animators also deserve a round of applause. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a CGI face quite so expressive… except maybe for WALL-E, but he’s a robot so he doesn’t count.

I have only one minor issue with how they’ve handled Dr. Manhattan, and that’s his voice. In the graphic novel, it’s implied through distinctly-coloured speech bubbles that Dr. Manhattan speaks with an altered voice – it’s one more thing that separates him from the rest of us lowly humans. In the film, however, they’re using Crudup’s voice au natural. Not a major change, but it does make Dr. Manhattan seem more human, which is sort of the exact opposite of how he should be portrayed…

But again I’m being picky.

In any event, at least they’ve finally released the Dr. Manhattan costume I’ve always wanted.

When I first heard that Jeffrey Dean Morgan would be playing the Comedian, the rough-and-tumble, cigar-smoking, flame-spewing, superbad assassin from WATCHMEN, my first thought was… You mean the guy from Grey’s Anatomy? (that’s right, I’ve seen Grey’s Anatomy)

In other words, Morgan was not my first choice. The Comedian is a bad, bad man (pretty much any of the shocking, controversial things you’ve heard about the movie can be attributed to this character), and I don’t really get a bad vibe from Morgan. I get more of a fun uncle vibe. Hopefully I can be forgiven for thinking that the man who starred in such notable epics as P.S. I love You and Fred Claus was not the best choice to play a war-mongering rapist.

But once I saw the guy in costume and makeup, I did change my mind… somewhat. For starters, it’s almost creepy how much Morgan looks like the character in the comic book, and that’s about half the battle for me. Furthermore, from what I’ve seen in the trailers, Morgan does seem to have a handle on the whole “I love violence” thing that the Comedian is known for. For proof, check out the scene where he smirks while spraying down a wave of enemies with a flame-thrower, and then lights a cigar… with the same flame-thrower.

All in all, I give Morgan my seal of approval, but I still think there might have been a better choice. Who exactly? I’m not sure. I guess I’m getting picky…

In any event, apparently Morgan loved going to the firing range, so that’s a step in the right direction.

Jackie Earle Haley probably has the single most difficult role in WATCHMEN. Rorschach is the most beloved and revered character from the graphic novel, and even the slightest misstep in his performance will bring scorn from the fan base.

That being said, I think Haley is unquestionably the right choice.

For starters, his acting history is perfectly in line with what the WATCHMEN project is all about. If anything, WATCHMEN is about spanning the divide between popular culture and high art. It’s about taking something as lowbrow as superheroes and turning it into a dramatic masterpiece. As an actor, Haley knows the border between art and the popular very well. An examination of his imdb profile reveals that he’s appeared in Oscar bait like Little Children and All the King’s Men, as well as making time to star in such films as Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence and an episode of MacGyver. Haley brings the perfect blend of classical acting skill and an appreciation for pop culture. Put ‘em together and you’ve got WATCHMEN.

Secondly, in wig and makeup, Haley looks an awful lot like Rorschach sans-mask. The bored, judgmental eyes, the wacky red hair, and the vague feeling that this guy wants to murder you - all picture perfect.

Finally, Rorschach is an undeniably crazy but nonetheless sympathetic character, and Haley plays sympathetic-crazy really, really well. If you need proof, go watch Little Children. His portrayal of a child molester who tries to do the right thing is amazingly close to the repulsive attraction of Rorschach. You don’t like this guy, you don’t agree with his actions, but you can’t stop yourself from sympathizing with his all-too-human motivations.

All in all, I don’t think they could have picked a better man to play Rorschach. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how he handles that mask… and how good he is at breaking fingers.