Aquaman

Based on the DC Comics series by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, Aquaman is the story of a half-human, half-Atlantean who reluctantly goes into the underwater world of Atlantis to stop his younger half-brother from uniting the seven kingdoms to wage war against the surface world. Directed by James Wan and screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall from a story by Wan, Beall, and Geoff Johns, the film is a part-origin story and an adventure story where Arthur Curry deals with his mother’s disappearance and the destiny he has to take on to save the world from destruction as he is played by Jason Momoa. Also starring Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, Temeura Morrison, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna. Aquaman is a grand and exhilarating film from James Wan.

Set several months after a confrontation with an evil force where he is part of the Justice League, the film is about Arthur Curry/Aquaman dealing with his past but also a new threat in the former of his younger half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) who wants to wage war on the surface world and become king of Atlantis. It’s a film that has a simple premise that is expected with films about superheroes but it’s more of a study of a man reluctant to take on what is rightfully is as he also deals with the fact that he’s half-human and it lead to the disappearance and death of his mother Queen Atlanna. The film’s screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall opens with how Atlanna met lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry (Temeura Morrison) in 1985 and fell in love that lead to the conception of Arthur as their tranquil life was disrupted by Atlantan forces who want Atlanna to return as she reluctantly leaves Thomas and Arthur to protect them.

The script would showcase some flashbacks of Arthur growing up to understand his powers to communicate with aquatic creatures but also be trained by Atlanna’s advisor Nuidis Vulko (Willem Dafoe) who would teach Arthur many things as he would later become Orm’s advisor only to get uneasy about Orm’s ambition as he chooses to help Arthur in secrecy. Also helping Curry with this growing conflict is Princess Mera of Xebel (Amber Heard) whose father King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren) had aligned himself with Orm after an attack from a Russian submarine. Yet, Orm has also made a secret alliance with a pirate in David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) to set-up the attack as he wants to find Arthur following a confrontation at a submarine that lead to the death of Kane’s father Jesse (Michael Beach) during an attempted hijack on that sub. Though the script does have a few clunky moments in the dialogue, it does succeed in establishing the characters and the stakes with the first act being about Orm’s desire to attack and Arthur reluctantly trying to stop him while its second act is about their first duel that nearly kills Arthur and his escape with Mera as they try to find an ancient artifact that relates to a trident that belonged to Atlantis’ true king in Atlan as the person who holds it is Atlantis’ true heir.

James Wan’s direction is definitely grand in terms of the visual scope he presents of the underwater world that is Atlantis but also ground it with some realism for some scenes on the surface. Shot largely in Australia and at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia with additional locations shot in parts of Italy, Canada, and Morocco, Wan does create a world that is vast not just above the sea but also under the sea. Particularly on the latter as the world of Atlantis is enchanting as well as wondrous while it also feature an array of beings, creatures, and human-like figures known as Atlanteans who live and breathe underwater while they can converse underwater as they also have powers. Yet, Wan also showcases the sense of prejudice towards Arthur yet there are a few that are willing to give him a chance despite their issues with civilization at the surface. Wan’s usage of the wide shots in how he presents Atlantis as well as the film’s climatic battle scene definitely capture a lot of coverage and establishes it in what is going on.

Wan’s direction also knows when to break away from the action in favor of character development and interaction that include scenes of Arthur and Mera on Earth traveling through the Sahara and later going to Sicily to find clues of the trident’s whereabouts. Wan keeps things smooth and help bring some nuances to the story including Arthur and Mera’s growing relationship while they have to fight off Orm’s personal guards, sea creatures, and David Kane wearing a suit as he’s called Black Manta. Wan’s approach to action and suspense add to the stakes that occur including the sequence in the third act where Arthur and Mera face off against monsters in this wormhole known as the Trench that leads to a mysterious land where Atlan’s trident is located. Wan does allow shots to linger for a bit including a few fights including Atlanna’s fights against a royal guard early in the film as it is shot in one entire take with tracking shots and other camera effects. The film’s climatic battle sequence display an air of grandeur and importance where Wan does establish what is going on as well as what is at stake as it play into Arthur stepping into his role as King of Atlantis. Overall, Wan crafts an intoxicating yet exhilarating film about half-man, half-Atlantean who comes to term with who he is and his destiny.

Cinematographer Don Burgess does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its colorful and vibrant look for many of the exterior scenes shot in the day in some of the film’s different locations along with the usage of low-key and blue-green colors for some of the scenes under the sea. Editor Kirk Morri does nice work with the editing as it does play into conventional fast-cutting with some of the action but does stray from chaotic editing to establish what is happening as it also include some stylish cuts for the humorous moments in the film. Production designer Bill Brezki, with set decorators Danielle Berman and Beverley Dunn plus supervising art director Richard Hobbs, does amazing work with the look of Atlantis as well as the home of Thomas Curry, the bar Arthur and Thomas go to, the palace in the Sahara, and other locations including some in Sicily. Costume designer Kym Barrett does fantastic work with the suit that Mera wears under the sea as well as the clothes that other Atlanteans wear along with the more casual look of Arthur and the eventual suit that he would wear in its third act.

Hair/makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt and special makeup effects/creature designer Justin Raleigh do brilliant work with the look of some of the characters as well as how hair moves underwater as it’s a highlight of the film. Special effects supervisors Mark R. Byers and Brian Cox, plus visual effects supervisors Tim Alexander, Jay Barton, Bryan Hirota, Sebastian Moreau, David Nelson, Craig Wentworth, and Jeff White, do incredible work with the visual effects as it is a major highlight of the film with the design of Atlantis, the creatures of Atlantis, and some of the underwater effects as they’re top notch and they have this air of grandeur that the film needed. Sound designers Harry Cohen, Eliot Connors, Joe Dzuban, and Stephen P. Robinson, along with sound editor Peter Brown, do superb work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere of the locations as well the sound effects of some of the Atlantean weapons that are used.

The film’s music by Rupert Gregson-Williams is wonderful for its mixture of bombastic orchestral score with some electronic flourishes as it help play into the massive scope of the film as well as some soaring pieces with lush string arrangements while music supervisor Michelle Silverman creates a fun soundtrack that features an original piece by Skylar Grey as well as some inspired usage of music from Roy Orbison and Depeche Mode though the track from Pitbull with Rhea is just dumb.

The casting by Anne McCarthy and Kellie Roy is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Andrew Crawford providing the motion capture performances of the Brine King and King Richou of the Fisherman with John Rhys-Davies and Djimon Hounsou respectively providing the voices, Leigh Whannell as a cargo pilot, Julie Andrews as the voice of a mysterious creature guarding King Atlan’s trident, Ludi Lin as Atlantis’ front-line army commander Captain Murk, Graham McTavish as King Atlan via flashbacks, and Randall Park in a small performance as the marine biologist Dr. Stephen Shin who is trying to prove to everyone that Atlantis is real. In the roles of the young Arthur, Tainu and Tamor Kirkwood as the three-year old Arthur, Kaan Guldur as the nine-year old Arthur, Otis Dhanji as the 13-year old Arthur, and Kekoa Kekumano as the 16-year old Arthur are terrific in displaying the character’s growth and understanding of his powers through Vulko’s guidance. Michael Beach is superb as David’s father Jesse Kane as a leader of pirates who would confront Arthur only to be bested and urge his son to avenge him.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is fantastic as David Kane/Black Manta as a pirate who seeks to find and kill Arthur in an act of revenge while conspiring with Orm to help start a war with the surface people in exchange for weapons to hunt Arthur. Dolph Lundgren is excellent as King Nereus of the Xebel tribe who is Mera’s father as he also helps Orm with an upcoming war unaware of the truth of Orm’s intentions. Temeura Morrison is brilliant as Thomas Curry as a lighthouse keeper who meets and fall for Atlanna as he is also someone who is aware of his son’s gifts and powers but also knows about the danger that his son will face. Nicole Kidman is amazing in her small role as Queen Atlanna as a descendant of King Atlan who meets and falls for Thomas Curry as she reluctantly leaves Thomas and Arthur only to be punished for her actions leading to her possible execution. Willem Dafoe is remarkable as Nuidis Vulko as Atlanna’s former advisor who would teach Arthur about his powers while also being a reluctant advisor to Orm as he becomes suspicious of Orm’s intentions leading him to help Arthur.

Amber Heard is incredible as Mera as King Nereus’ daughter with telepathic and hydrokinetic powers that helps Arthur in his journey as she is also someone who knows a lot about the underwater world but not much about the surface as she does provide some funny moments. Patrick Wilson is great as Orm as Arthur’s younger half-brother who is the king of Atlantis who hopes to unite the seven kingdoms but also wants to start a war on the surface world as he’s not really an antagonist but someone who despises Arthur for what happened to their mother. Finally, there’s Jason Momoa in a phenomenal performance as Arthur Curry/Aquaman as a half-man, half-Atlantean who possesses some incredible powers to converse with sea creatures as well as being strong but he’s also someone that isn’t sure about ruling Atlantis knowing about its prejudices where Momoa displays some humor and charm but also a weariness as someone who is grounded and knows how to do the right thing as it’s a true breakout performance for Momoa.

Aquaman is a spectacular film from James Wan that features an incredible performance from Jason Momoa in the titular role. Along with its ensemble cast, dazzling visual effects, bombastic music score, and story of identity and family, it’s a blockbuster superhero film manages to be so much more as well as be adventurous and fun. Even as it explores a man coming to terms with who he is but also the role he chooses for an entire world. In the end, Aquaman is a sensational film from James Wan.

James Wan Films: (Saw) – (Dead Silence) – (Death Sentence) – (Insidious) – (The Conjuring) – (Insidious: Chapter 2) – (Furious 7) – (The Conjuring 2) - (Malignant) - (Fast & Furious 10)

DC Extended Universe: Man of Steel - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Suicide Squad - Wonder Woman - Justice League - Shazam! – Birds of Prey – Wonder Woman 1984 - Zack Snyder's Justice League - The Suicide Squad (2021 film) - (Black Adam) – (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) – (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) – (The Flash) – (Blue Beetle) – (Batgirl)

© thevoid99 2019

Hard Candy

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/31/06 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by David Slade and written by Brian Nelson, Hard Candy tells the story of a 14-year old girl whose chats with a 30-year old photographer on the Internet leads to a meeting in a coffee shop. Things start out innocently where suddenly, things start to take a turn for the worse. Set into a dark, thriller genre, Hard Candy is a film where the Lolita-character takes revenge only to confuse on who is the victim. Starring Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, and Sandra Oh. Hard Candy is a thrilling, provocative film from David Slade.

Chatting on the Internet in a discussion relating to sex, a 14-year old girl named Hayley (Ellen Page) wants to meet up with the person she's chatting with at a coffee shop. She waits at the shop carrying a book bag full of books where she meets a 30-something photographer named Jeff (Patrick Wilson). Jeff, is revealed to be the man she's been chatting with as the two go into discussion about photography, books, and music where she claims to be a fan of Goldfrapp and missed the show. He tells her that he has a bootleg back in his house and she wants to hear it. After buying her a t-shirt, Jeff decides to take Hayley to his house in the hills near Los Angeles. She sees his somewhat, posh house that included pictures of young women on the wall and a small studio.

After a conversation and talks about photos, Hayley decides to drink with Jeff where everything starts out innocently as he decides to take photographs of her. Then suddenly, he passes out and wakes up finding himself tied to a chair. Hayley then officially revealed her motives where she suspects that he's really a pedophile who shoots child pornography and hiding young girls where one of them is missing. He knows what she's talking about but claims that he's not the guy that's been capturing young girls. Immediately, the two go into a battle of mind games where he suspect that she's a young girl lashing out on her anger probably due to the neglect of her parents. She scoffs otherwise at his assumptions as she continues to try and make him confess about the missing girls.

Even as they engage in conversations about his role as an adult and herself as a kid, things get more tense in his attempts to escape where he's now tied up where she decides to perform a mental game of torture. The result makes him reveal a story as a kid where the suspicion of his possible pedophilia might be revealed as things start to wind down. After another attempt to escape falters, Hayley makes a deal with Jeff into doing where making things worse, his ex-girlfriend Janelle (Jennifer Holmes) has been called and a neighbor (Sandra Oh) is being suspicious after seeing Hayley on a roof earlier. Finally, the battle between the two comes to a point where ultimately, the truth is revealed with some damaging results.

The subject of pedophilia is something that not everyone will do but screenwriter Brian Nelson takes the subject as a revenge tale of sorts of a young girl wanting to go after a suspected pedophile and turns it into a thriller. With some stylized yet confrontational dialogue, the film moves as a psychological thriller where the audience is trying to understand the motives and truths behind everything. Then there's the stylized yet ominous direction of David Slade that captures everything with great intensity. The energy of some of the film's dramatic moments are captured while being aware that the film is really about characters and dialogue rather than a plot, which there isn't much of. Still, Slade's direction is amazing and fluid to create an atmosphere that is tense.

Helping Slade in his unique vision is cinematographer Jo Willems whose sharp color schemes in the film's first act ranging from the wooden look of the coffee shop, to the grainy brightness of the exterior parking lot to the more colorful look Jeff's house. Willems' photography is amazing in how it shifts from a normal color scheme to a more tinted, brighter, blueish color to convey something that is dramatic and stylistic. Editor Art Jones also plays to the film's stylistic approach with some wonderful editing that slows a few things down but during the film's intense moments involving action, the editing is fast and energetic while slowing down for more engaging shots. Production designer Jeremy Reed and art director Felicity Nove do wonderful work in the design of Jeff's studio and his house that plays to the film's eerie look and claustrophobic feel.

Costume designer Jennifer Johnson also plays to the film's color with Hayley's red hooded coat and the sexy clothing she wears early on to the gritty jeans that she wears in the second and third act. Sound editor Richard Taylor also adds to the film's claustrophobic tone with some eerie sounds that is accompanied by the eerie, plaintive score work of Harry Escott and Molly Nyman.

The film features a small cast that includes Odessa Rae (being credited as Jennifer Holmes) in the role of Jeff's girlfriend and a strange cameo from Sandra Oh of Grey's Anatomy and Sideways as a neighbor selling girl scout cookies and asking Hayley about a babysitting offer. Noted stage actor Patrick Wilson, whose previous works included The Alamo, Phantom of the Opera, and Angels in America gives a solid, complex performance as Jeff. Wilson's performance is brilliant as a man who starts off being a bit creepy yet charming only to become a victim where the audience end up sympathizing for him, even if he might or might not be a bad person. Still, it's a great performance from Wilson.

The film's real breakthrough is Ellen Page, a 19-year old Canadian with several Canadian and American TV movie and low-budget indies to her credit before appearing in recent films like Mouth to Mouth and X-Men 3: The Last Stand. Page brings an angst and innocence to her role where she starts off as this cute young girl reminiscent of early Natalie Portman. Then when Page goes into darker territory, her angst and energy is unstoppable and eerie to watch. Her multi-layered, engaging performance is something that is very unmatched with some of today's young actresses as Ellen Page proved to be the real thing.

Despite some uncomforting moments and unconventional tactics, Hard Candy is one of 2006's most uncompromising and provocative features. With Brian Nelson's script, David Slade's stylish directing, and the performances of Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson. This is a film that will shock audiences and will leave them uncomfortable while thinking about the horrors of pedophilia. In the end, Hard Candy isn't an easy film to swallow but definitely brings a lot of energy and style to the thriller genre.

© thevoid99 2013

Young Adult

Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, Young Adult is the story of a 30-something ghost-writer for teen novels who learns that her old high school boyfriend has a new life as a family man. Returning to her hometown to reclaim her ex-boyfriend, she befriends a man whom she tormented back in high school. The film marks a reunion between Reitman and Cody following their 2007 collaboration with Juno as their new film explores a woman on the verge of a meltdown. Starring Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, and the voice of Reitman regular J.K. Simmons. Young Adult is a biting yet witty character-study from Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody.

Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) has just received news about her former high school boyfriend Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) as he just became a father for the first time. For Mavis, she decides to return to her hometown of Mercury, Minnesota with her dog Dolce and a mixtape that Buddy made years ago hoping to reclaim him from his new life. Staying at a hotel, she goes to a local bar where she meets an old schoolmate in Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt) who wonders why she’s back. The two start to befriend each other despite Matt’s unpleasant memories about high school as she reveals why she’s back though Matt doesn’t think Mavis’ plan to reclaim Buddy is a good idea.

After finally contacting Buddy, the two meet as she later meets Buddy’s wife Beth (Elizabeth Reaser) where Mavis is surprised by Buddy’s new domestic lifestyle. Still thinking that Buddy is unhappy where the two later met at a sports bar that Matt works at where Beth’s band played a song that Mavis had in her mixtape. Things get worse when Mavis encounters her parents whom she hadn’t bothered to contact as she ends up having a meal with them as she is reminded about her recent divorce. With news about her teen novel series that she’s ghost-written being cancelled, though she is currently writing another one, she hangs out with Matt as she reveals another plan to win Buddy over. Instead, she is forced to face the realities around her as well as the issues that she’s dealing with.

For anyone that thinks that high school were the best years of their life because they were popular and were able to have great skin and such would often face tribulations where it becomes harder for them to grow up. For a woman as delusional and immature like Mavis Gray, it’s only part of who she is as she uses her immaturity and high school memories to ghost-write a very popular series of teen novels. Still, she is a mess as she faces the cancellation of her series while just going through a divorce and lead a life that isn’t very exciting. She watches bad reality TV and drinks big liter bottles of Diet Coke to maintain her figure while only having her small dog Dolce to keep her company. When she receives news about her ex-boyfriend’s family life, she has this fantasy that she can save him from that dull world and reclaim him.

The Mavis Gray character is something that is very different from some of the character that director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody had previous explored. Mavis is a really un-likeable person for the fact that she’s very immature and has no grasp in reality for what she is about to do this guy who has definitely moved on. Returning to the home that she despises, she would befriend an old schoolmate in whom she remembered for being beaten up in school because he was accused of being gay when he really wasn’t. For the Matt Freehauf character, he sees something in Mavis where the two share their common bond for their hatred of their hometown as well as into why people seem so content into living a town where it’s pretty boring.

Diablo Cody’s screenplay is, so far, the best thing she’s done as there’s a new maturity to her writing in the way she explores the banality of American suburbia as well as this woman who is definitely on the verge of collapse. While Mavis does do a lot of despicable things and doesn’t really seem to care about anyone except herself. There is something about her that makes her pitiful for the fact that people do want to help her though they don’t seem to do it in the right way. Only that Matt Freehauf character seems to get her despite the fact that he doesn’t really like as he knows she is having a hard time trying to move on even though she doesn’t treat him well either.

While the script has a lot of humor that is witty and sarcastic in the style of Cody’s writing including the word “Ken-Taco-Hut”. There is a more cerebral element to the writing as Cody also gets a chance to tackle the world of teen novels where she creates a narration of Mavis writing the next novel that pretty much delve into the material that Mavis writes. There’s a true complexity to the writing as well as a shock value to what Cody brings as the film’s screenplay is definitely the major highlight of the film.

Jason Reitman’s direction is definitely engaging for the way he presents the film with lots of wide shots of the small towns shown in the film as it’s shot on location in parts of upstate New York. While there’s not a lot of big technical moments as Reitman chooses to go for a very straightforward approach to framing scenes in humorous and dramatic moments. Still, he does create some surprises as he opens the film with this 10-minute sequence of what Mavis’ life is like before she returns home. Then the credits appears as Mavis drives home to the tune of Teenage Fanclub’s The Concept from their 1991 landmark album Bandwagonesque.

The film has a very playful feel to it throughout the entirety of the first two acts though it does get more dramatic by the time the third act rolls around. Still, Reitman chooses to underplay the drama while its big moment where Mavis just loses it at a party is more restrained than it is expected despite Mavis’ uncontrollable behavior. The film also has this sense of intended blandness to the way a suburban place like Mercury, Minnesota looks like as it looks like every other small town in America. The locations do play as a character there’s a wonderful quaintness to it but also a place where anyone that’s lived there long enough might want to leave. Overall, Reitman creates a truly solid and witty film that explores a woman’s meltdown as she returns to the place that she had left a long time ago.

Cinematographer Eric Steelberg does a nice job with the film’s photography where a lot of the film’s look is straightforward though the coloring does get a little de-saturated as it progresses to emphasize Mavis’ troubled state of mind as she would unravel in the course of the film. Editor Dana E. Glauberman does an excellent job with the editing to play up Mavis’ unraveling in the course of the film as it features some great montages of her fixing her hair or the opening credits scene while a lot of the editing is very straightforward.

Production designer Kevin Thompson, along with set decorator Carrie Stewart and art director Michael Ahern, do some very good work with the set pieces created such as the bar where Mavis meets Matt along with the sports bar and Buddy‘s home to emphasize the suburban world that Mavis dislikes yet gravitates towards to. Costume designer David C. Robinson does a terrific job with the costumes from the sweatpants and t-shirt to emphasize the drab look of Mavis along with the glamorous dresses that she later wears to try and win over Buddy. Sound editors Perry Robertson, Scott Sanders, and Warren Shaw do some fine work with the sound from the raucous atmosphere of the bars that Mavis and Matt hang out to the way music sounds and is cut off at through her Mavis’ car.

The score work of Rolfe Kent is superb for the jazz-folk music pieces created for the film to emphasize its quirky tone as well as Mavis‘ unique behavior while also providing low-key yet somber pieces for its dramatic moments. Music supervisor Linda Cohen does a fantastic job with assembling the soundtrack that includes lots of 90s alternative rock cuts from acts like Cracker, the Lemonheads, Teenage Fanclub, 4 Non Blondes, and many covers performed by Mateo Massina of songs by Pearl Jam and other 90s acts. The only song not from the 90s is played is an obscure Diana Ross song in the closing credits that emphasize the trouble of growing up which is suitable for what the film is about.

The casting by Jessica Kelly and Suzanne Smith is outstanding as they create what is truly a very memorable ensemble cast filled with people in some very standout roles. Among them is Mary Beth Hurt as Buddy’s mother, Richard Bekins and Jill Eikenberry as Mavis’ parents, Hettienne Park as a Minneapolis friend of Mavis, Louisa Krause as the hotel front desk girl, John Forest as Mavis’ wheelchair-bound cousin who annoys both Mavis and Matt, and J.K. Simmons in a voice cameo as Mavis’ boss. Collette Wolfe is excellent in a small but very crucial performance as Matt’s sister Sandra who idolizes Mavis despite her flaws. Elizabeth Reaser is great as Buddy’s wife Beth who tries to be very kind to Mavis while being very content as a mom and drummer for a 90s cover band. Patrick Wilson is pretty good as Buddy where even though it’s a bland kind of role, Wilson makes Buddy into a likeable, normal kind of guy.

Patton Oswalt is magnificent as Matt Freehauf, an old schoolmate of Mavis who hasn’t gotten over high school as he reluctantly becomes Mavis’ ally despite warning her that will backfire on her. It’s a dramatic but light-humored performance from Oswalt as he also has to walk with a cane as he becomes this one guy that really understands Mavis and pities her. Finally, there’s Charlize Theron in a tremendous yet fearless performance as Mavis Gray. Theron brings a lot of humor to her character as a woman that is obviously immature in the way she speaks and how she often picks at her hair. Yet, there’s also a sadness to this woman who can’t really get herself together as Theron makes this very un-likeable character human as it’s definitely one of the best performances Theron has given.

Young Adult is a brilliant yet jabbing comedy-drama from Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody. Featuring fantastic performances from Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt, the film definitely serves as a real turning point for both Reitman and Cody as they take an un-likeable character and make her into someone real and sympathetic. While it may not have the quirky humor of Juno or the heavy-drama of Up in the Air, the film does have a confrontational tone without being too grand. In the end, Young Adult is a remarkable film from Jason Reitman and company.

Jason Reitman Films: Thank You for Smoking - Juno - Up in the Air - Labor Day - (Men, Women, & Children) - Tully - The Front Runner - Ghostbusters: Afterlife - The Auteurs #30: Jason Reitman

© thevoid99 2011

Watchmen (film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/7/09.

One of the most celebrated and popular graphic novels in the history of literature, Watchmen about a group of retired vigilantes investigating the murder of one of their former colleagues only to uncover a troubling conspiracy. Written by Alan Moore with illustrations by Dave Gibbons, the novel took a unique spin into the superhero genre while delving into satire and character study. The novel is so acclaimed in giving the graphic novel medium widespread attention that adaptations for the book to become a film became an impossible task. Developing the film proved to be hell since its attempts began just after the novel was released. 20th Century Fox tried to get it started that took years. In 1991, Warner Brothers got involved with project with Terry Gilliam attached but years of development forced Gilliam to drop out and the film project was shelved.

Another attempt in 2001 started but a few years into it became troubling until Paramount Pictures got involved with Darren Aronofsky attached to the project. Aronofsky left to work on The Fountain as Paul Greengrass got involved but the project eventually folded. With Lawrence Gordon, who owned the rights to the film, deciding to go back to Warner Brothers. Nothing seemed sure until 2006 when production finally found got started with a new director in Zack Snyder, who scored a big hit with his adaptation of Frank Miller's 300. Production finally began with Snyder at the helm despite a lawsuit between Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox that finally got resolved for the long-awaited release of Watchmen.

Directed by Zack Snyder with a script by David Hayter and Alex Tse along with un-credited contributions from Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Watchmen tells the story of a group of former vigilantes living in 1985 at the peak of the Cold War as the tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union reaching its climax with Richard Nixon still the President of the U.S. When an ex-vigilante is murdered, one of his former comrades investigates to uncover a conspiracy in order to get rid of his other vigilantes as well as a nuclear holocaust. The film is an ambitious tale that takes the superhero genre to darker territory and character study not explored in some of today's superhero films. With an all-star cast that includes Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Stephen McHattie, Matt Frewer, and Carla Gugino. Watchmen is an excellent, sprawling, and ambitious film from Zack Snyder.

It's October 1985 when an ex-vigilante known as Edward Blake aka the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) has been murdered leaving behind his old smiley face badge on the street as evidence. One of Blake's former colleagues name Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) from the Watchmen vigilante team of the late 1960s-early 1970s group finds the badge. He investigates Blake's murder as he tells his former partner from the group Daniel Dreiberg aka Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson) about the Comedian's death. Dreiberg is now retired due to the Keene Act of 1977 banning vigilantes from work where he spends his time having weekly meeting with the original Nite Owl in Hollis Mason (Stephen McHattie). After Rorschach's visit, Dreiberg tells another of his former colleagues in Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias (Matthew Goode). Now a billionaire who has revealed his identity while using his old vigilante name to sell products, Veidt hears of Dreiberg's warning about Rorschach's conspiracy that someone is taking out former vigilantes.

Rorschach visits a couple of former Watchmen in Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) and Laurie Juspeczyk aka Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) about the Comedian's death. Manhattan, who is the only Watchmen with superpowers due to a nuclear accident and is considered the best weapon the U.S. ever has is now more concerned with particles and such than humanity. Manhattan's state of mind has now strained his long-term relationship with Laurie as she decides to have dinner with Dreiberg whom she hadn't seen in years as they talk about the Comedian's death and fear of a possible nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. During Blake's funeral where Veidt, Dreiberg, and Manhattan recall disturbing memories about the Comedian while Laurie visits her mother Sally Jupiter, the original Silk Spectre (Carla Gugino). Attending the funeral in secrecy is a former nemesis of the Comedian in Edgar Jacobi aka Moloch (Matt Frewer).

Rorschach confronts Moloch about what he knows as he revealed about a strange visit from a distraught, guilt-ridden Blake. Laurie's visit with her mother about Blake's death that featured an old story about Blake raping Sally back in 1949 has Sally saddened about Blake despite what happened. Laurie's relationship with Dr. Manhattan has finally soured as she leaves him to be with Dreiberg as Manhattan prepares for a big TV interview. During the interview, Manhattan talks about nuclear holocaust when a journalist presses Manhattan on about accusations that he gave a few former colleagues including his ex-girlfriend Janey Slater (Laura Mennell) cancer as she makes a surprising appearance. Now a threat, Manhattan exiles himself to Mars as he thinks about the time he used to be a man named Jon Osterman and how he became Dr. Manhattan as he's now detached of humanity as well as Earth.

When Rorschach continues his investigation into Blake's death, he uncovers a big conspiracy which involved an assassination attempt on Adrian Veidt. What happens is a set-up in which he's captured and sent to prison following an interrogation with a psychoanalyst. With Dreiberg and Laurie becoming closer and deciding to renew their vigilante status, they also decide to break Rorschach from prison as they uncover a much larger conspiracy involving the end of the world. With nuclear holocaust closing in and Manhattan unconvinced that he can do anything, it's up to the Watchmen to uncover the truth only to find out something even more horrifying.

Watchmen is truly one of the greatest novels in the history of literature and for years, to make a film version of it seemed impossible. Yet, what Zack Snyder and screenwriters David Hayter and Alex Tse did the impossible and succeeded, for the most part. The story is truly complex and psychological as it unveils harsh realities and truths to the world. Yet, like most adaptations, things had to be cut from the book as well as some alterations. Still, Hayter and Tse does manage to craft a faithful script to the book though minor characters like the magazine stand owner and the kid who hangs out reading The Tales of the Black Freighter are merely cameos. The sub-story of The Tales of the Black Freighter isn't featured in the film but is still being told as an animated feature in a straight-to-DVD release.

Still, the faithfulness of the story from book to script is excellent in presenting smaller characters like Janey Slater and the story of the original Minutemen vigilante group is told in the opening credits. Though not much is revealed since the original graphic novel is more in detail of how the Minutemen was formed and disbanded. Part of the script's flaws is some lack of detail, back story on some of the characters, and the fact that some audiences might find the story to be too dense. It's not a proto-typical kind of superhero, comic-book action film but far more darker and more adult. It's really about a group of individuals dealing with retirement, their own humanity or lack thereof, and ambitions amidst the troubled state of the world. The writers do take credit in creating something that is entertaining but also faithful to what Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons wanted in the book.

Director Zack Snyder, who had done a brilliant job with his take on Frank Miller's 300 manages to succeed with the look and visual palette of Watchmen. With help from the novel's illustrator Dave Gibbons, Snyder does faithfully use images from the comics for its compositions of the film as if the novel came to life. Snyder's faithfulness is honorable though there's a few moments he doesn't get right. There's a few anachronisms in the film in its appliances and famous people seen throughout that might baffle a few people. Snyder does get the story going in giving people a break from the action for the drama where it doesn't drag nor its two-hour, forty-three minute running time feel very slow.

Snyder's direction is very stylish where he does the slow-fast edits like he did in 300 but not overtly while not lightening things up in terms of the sex and violence. The sex is though playful and sexy in its scenes involving Laurie Juspeczyk and Daniel Dreiberg which includes a comical moment from the book. At the same time, Snyder does make sure that audiences get to see Dr. Manhattan's scrotum since he's naked throughout though it's really all CGI. Then there's violence which is quite graphic as broken bones are heard, lots of blood, and such that goes on. There's things that are quite shocking but it's true to what Alan Moore wanted as well as the nature of its characters, notably the Comedian who is the kind of gung-ho American at its worst and distasteful. The film's ending is altered in a major way though its intentions in relation to the original ending in the novel is still intact. Overall, despite the flaws the film has, Zack Snyder does create a faithful version of the book with its colorful images and dark tone.

Cinematographer Larry Fong does a fantastic job with the film's look in relation to the novel. With the look being close to the graphic novel, Fong's cinematography is not filled with a lot of heavy lights as it relies on dark colors and lots of shading. It's a film that is meant to look bleak yet colorful as it also moves along with the action and apocalyptical tone. Editor William Hoy does great work with the editing as it's stylized with fast cuts for the action along with slow-motion moments that later becomes fast for some of the fight scenes. At the same time, the cutting doesn't move very slow for its long running time as it does a serviceable job for its pacing and feel.

Production designer Alex McDowell along with set decorator Jim Erickson and supervising art director Francois Audouy is superb in its look of New York City, though shot in Vancouver, along with its interior sets and places. Particularly the building of Adrian Veidt that he works along with his Antarctica base and the homes of Dreiberg and his basement filled with gadgets and such. Notably the Owlship he has called Archie that's filled with gadgets and such. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does a great job with the costumes with the latex look of Silk Spectre II that is sexy along with Nite Owl II's costumes that looks a bit like Batman. The suit of Ozymandias is kind of ridiculous since it has nipples which is meant to look silly while Rorschach and the Comedian are more gritty. Yet, the look of the Minutemen are spectacular in its 1940s design and such.

Makeup artist Emanuela Daus along with her team do an excellent job with the fake hair that Jackie Earle Haley wears as his true identity along with the look of Adrian Veidt and Laurie Juspeczyk. Yet, the look of Richard Nixon (Robert Wisden) does look a bit ridiculous while the make-up on Carla Gugino as her older version of Sally Jupiter is sub-par at best. The visual effects by supervisors Dennis Jones and Peter G. Travers is phenomenal with the look of Dr. Manhattan, the blot-movements of Rorschach's mask, and Dr. Manhattan's home at Mars. The visual effects are the real technical highlight of the film. The sound by sound editor Scott Hecker and designers Rick Hromadka and Jeremy Pierson are excellent in the way broken bones are heard. The atmosphere that goes on in the city and the way the Owlship moves and sounds. Hecker's work in the editing of Rorschach's narration is great along with its mixing to give the film a noir-like feel as the sound is masterfully brilliant.

The music score by Tyler Bates is very good in melodic-driven piece of keyboards and guitars for its drama and action. Yet, its soundtrack is mostly dominated by several music pieces that features Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A-Changin' in the opening credits plus stuff from Jimi Hendrix, Nena, Tears for Fears, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, KC & the Sunshine Band, and a comical use of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah in one of the film's funny moments. Played in the closing credits is another Dylan song Desolation Row that's performed in a punk-style by My Chemical Romance yet the greatest piece of music played on film is from Phillip Glass in the Jon Osterman-Dr. Manhattan sequence from Glass' score of 1983 Godfrey Reggio cult film Koyanniqatsi.

The casting by Kristy Carlson is excellent with appearances from people playing celebrities and political figures like David Bowie, Mick Jagger, photographer Annie Lebovitz, Lee Iacocca, Fidel Castro, and as Henry Kissinger, Frank Novak. Other memorable appearances as famous people are Ron Fassler as Ted Koppel and Robert Wisden as Richard Nixon who is good though why didn't anyone ask Dan Hedaya to play the role since he was the best Richard Nixon in the 1999 comedy Dick. Small appearances from Zack Snyder's son Eli as the young Rorschach while appearing as the original minute men are Apollonia Vanova as Silhouette, Daryll Scheelar as Captain Metropolis, Dan Payne as Dollar Bill, Niall Matter as Mothman, Glenn Ennis as Hooded Justice, and Clint Carelton as the young Hollis Mason/Nite Owl.

Other small roles like Ron LaBelle as Osterman's former colleague Wally Weaver and Nhi Do as a Vietnamese girl who fights the Comedian are memorable while it's Laura Mennell who is good as Janey Slater. Stephen McHattie, who previously appeared in 300 is very good as Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl who retires only to have conversations with Daniel Dreiberg. Matt Frewer is excellent as Moloch, a retired villain who reveals to Rorschach of what he knows about the Comedian's state of mind. Carla Gugino is excellent as Sally Jupiter, the original Silk Spectre who is now retired as she talks about Edward Blake while dealing with Laurie's anger towards her.

Malin Akerman is pretty good as Laurie Juspeczyk aka Silk Spectre II. Though Akerman has the look and body of Silk Spectre, her acting isn't entirely great though serviceable for her character. Akerman does embody the angst and sweetness of Laurie as she's dealing with her mother and Dr. Manhattan while finding solace and comfort in Daniel Dreiberg. Patrick Wilson is also good as Daniel Dreiberg aka Nite Owl II as he plays this somewhat bland, mild-mannered guy who is afraid of being the Nite Owl yet can't escape from it. Wilson does bring a nice-guy complexity while also proving he can be tough as he has wonderful chemistry with Akerman. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is great as Edward Blake aka the Comedian, an immoral, violent, and unpredictable man who'll kill anything for the government only to have his violent past caught up to him. Morgan sells the character with great bravado and charisma while bringing depth to the character as he deals with guilt and regret.

Matthew Goode is excellent as Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias, a former vigilante turned billionaire who is more concerned about his own image while finding ways to save the world with the help of Dr. Manhattan. Goode's performance is definitely the least charismatic and most restrained of the cast as he stands out for being the one in control. Billy Crudup is amazing as Dr. Manhattan, an ordinary man turned into a superhuman of sorts only to become detached in his state as he is mostly devoid of emotion. Crudup rarely has scenes where he's emotional as his character is definitely very interesting as someone who lost interest in humanity while focused on dealing with logic.

The film's best performance is Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach, the masked vigilante who refuses to quit his job as he investigates the Comedian's death. Haley, though mostly masked in the film is the most interesting as he has this raspy voice in his character while being the film's narrator throughout the film. Haley's face when he's unmasked is truly devoid of emotion mostly as he's just stoned-face and plays it cool. Haley is really the heart of the film as he brings more than enough into why Rorschach is the most beloved character of Watchmen, novel or film.

While it's not the famed novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the film version of Watchmen is still an excellent film from Zack Snyder. With an excellent cast led by Jackie Earle Haley, the film is very faithful to the famed graphic novel while providing new territory for the superhero film genre. Fans of the book will be happy that it's faithful while will understandably be upset of what got cut from the transition from book to film. Audiences of superhero films will be entertained though its complex story might be too much for some as well as its two-hour, forty-three minute time length. This is definitely not a film for kids, especially for its adult themes, graphic violence, and sexual content. In the end, though it's not a perfect film, Watchmen is still an entertaining, provocative, and ambitious film from Zack Snyder and company.

Zack Snyder Films: (Dawn of the Dead (2004)) - 300 - (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole) - Sucker Punch - Man of Steel - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Justice League - Zack Snyder's Justice League - (Army of the Dead) - Rebel Moon

(C) thevoid99 2011