Here's Why

Whenever I hear that yet another comic book that I love is being made into a movie, I cringe. Some comics just cannot survive the transition from print to screen and it's very upsetting when producers and Hollywood writers try to force it. Like Daredevil. Like the first Hulk. Other comics translate perfectly simply because of the nature of the book: Batman, Spider-man, X-Men, and so on. One of the best comic-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen is Hellboy because in my humble opinion, they got everything right. From the lead character played flawlessly by Ron Perlman to the perfect rendition of Abe's costume, as far as I'm concerned that movie hit the comic dead on. Knowing how hit-or-miss the whole comic movie phenomenon is and how fickle the fans are, I wasn't expecting much from Watchmen. Not much at all. So why then did I find myself in a movie theatre at midnight watching it when I should have been home in bed? Because I am a nerd and I had to see it for myself.

Mere hours later and I'm thinking of how I'm going to fit another couple of viewings into my already jam-packed weekend. That's how incredible I thought is was. Despite the absence of the giant squid (read the comic and you'll totally understand), the whole epic was great. The boy went with me and said it was the first time he'd seen a movie where he knew exactly what was going to happen and who was going to speak and what they were going to say for the duration of the almost 3 hour long movie. Not once during the film did I catch myself wondering what time it was, or thinking that something could have been done better. Not once was I upset that I was going to be ruined for work the next day because of this movie. My red-rimmed eyes and unkempt hair are badges of honor for having gone to midnight show on a school night.

On a completely different note, I may have to change my favourite hero. It's always been a toss-up between Batman and Hawkman with a bit of Namor thrown in for Marvel/DC diversity, but now I think it may be Rorschach/Walter Kovacs. There's so much that I could say to back-up my sudden shift in hero-worship, but I won't ruin the movie . Yet.

So, I'm exhausted and satisfied with the movie. Now I just have to get through the next eight hours so I can go home and nap.