Watchmen

Watchmen Wow—lot’s a fanfare and advanced hype on this one. Watchmen is based on a “graphic novel” from the eighties, which won all kinds of awards and most people say is the best GN ever. Woo-hoo. It’s still a comic.
It is a strange story which takes place in a kind of alternative universe where Richard Nixon serves five terms as President, we win the Viet Nam war, and society falls into a malaise of crime, decadence and nihilism. Oh, I get it . . . . .
But here’s the twist; a bunch of people decide to fight crime by becoming super heroes. Think “Mystery Men” meets the “Avengers.” They are regular people with lots of training, skills, and more courage than sense, wearing outlandish costumes (just like the comics) and doing what they can to clean up the city. They have the same challenges as the rest of us. One is insane, one is a fascist wanna-be rapist, one is the smartest man in the world with an ego to match, etc. “Masked Crusaders” have been outlawed and the are all in retirement when one of their own is murdered, leaving the others to try and solve the mystery. Is someone coming after all the “Masks?”
One of them actually has super-human powers. He is called Dr. Manhattan. Disintegrated in a nuclear accident, he reassembles himself and learns to control matter an energy on the atomic level. But he is gradually becoming disaffected with the plight of humanity. As others plot to take control of the world for the “benefit of mankind” Dr. Manhattan wanders off to Mars where he can think in peace.
In the meantime, nuclear war has never been more immanent and likely. The Doomsday clock has been set to four minutes to midnight and everyone is scared, especially since Dr. Manhattan, who can save them, has vanished.
This is as private a vision as a vision can get. In some ways it is brilliant. In others, it is hopelessly deficient. The visual aspects of the movie are wonderful, the acting is superb, and even the screenplay holds up. I had decided not to see it based on an interview with the director, which I read, but my brother-in-law, James insisted, so I went.
Remember how great Marvel comics were? How their heroes had real problems and challenges like the rest of us? Acne, babysitters, self-esteem issues? This is like that, but on steroids.
We are glad we saw it, but neither of us would recommend it to the general public. It is a hard R rating, with some very disturbing scenes and themes, but I think the rating is about right. It didn’t rise to NC-17, quite. So if you like strange, intellectually and visually stimulating and someone’s very personal vision, this is the movie for you.

Escape to Witch Mountain

Escape to Witch Mountain This is a Disney remake of a Disney movie from the 70’s (I think). I is about two alien teenagers who are trying to save the earth from being taken by their people, whose home planet is dying. It stars Dwayne Johnson as the Vegas taxi-driving ex-con with a heart of gold who helps the kids evade their own hunter-assassin as well as our governments MIB, who are desperate to get their hands on real, live extra-terrestrials. This was not made with awards in mind, just good entertainment for kids and adolescents, and it delivers on its promise. Cleaned up and de-hokiefied from the original, brought up to date, and with good special effects, it is a fun, action-packed suspense thriller for about 10 and up. Younger kids can see it but they might not get it and it might be a little scary in a few parts, so I’d be cautious.
Johnson is making a name for himself as a solid actor and action hero a la Arnold and Bruce Willis. The kids (I don’t know who they are and IMDB is blocked these days) play their roles well, if not brilliantly. It’s a fun movie for adults as well, a genuine popcorn flick. Nothing objectionable. PG-13. We all liked it . For a professional synopsis and review, see Carol Cling in today’s RJ.