The Watchmen

The movie comes out this week and sad to say, I'm just now half way through the graphic novel. I've know about the Watchmen since the late 80's when the series was originally released, but sadly, I didn't jump on the band wagon at the time and missed the train, to use another metaphor, when it came to collecting the series. So, I just let it go by. I had many a friend who would tell me how great the story was and recount each issue to me, but back then, I really didn't appreciate the darker comic book stories. I was more into the flash and less into the substance back in those days.

Now, being an older and more appreciative reader, I can honestly say that back then, I was a real idiot for not trying to get my hands on such an awesome series. The story is so original and very thought provoking. It shows how ordinary people cope with the truly horrible things that can happen to them and the people around them. How society can think your a hero one minute and a criminal the next. The most interesting thing in the comic that has been already advertised in the trailers for the movie is "Who watches the Watchmen?". In my opinion, it means who's moral compass is the right one for society? Just because you say your a hero of society, how do we know that murder is not above you in fixing societies faults? That one brutality can be used to fix another? Who sets the standard for what is right and what is wrong in the world?

The series is very thought provoking on many subjects. I just hope that it translates well to cinema. Ever since the series was published, fanboy's have wanted a movie. Now that technology has allowed the full concept of the comic to be translated to the screen, will it be everything fans have hoped for? Will they have to cut some of the more interesting scenes to make things work? This can be a problem as I recently discovered when they translated one of my favorite book series by Charlene Harris to the small screen. Although, Anna Paquin won a golden globe for her portrayal of Sookie Stackhouse, to me she is just too annoying and bitchy for my tastes and that's how she is written on the show. I'm just hoping this doesn't happen with the Watchmen.

Because, If the movie fails to pass the fanboy litmus test, then you'll see more blog activity than at the launch of Age of Conan and Warhammer online combined. Trust me, there will be so much flaming that I wouldn't be suprised if the internet itself caught on fire. Again, this might not even happen. But as past comic to screen translations have proven, not eveyone will be happy with the director's or in some cases, the studio's vision. I loved "300", but hated the last two X-Men and Spiderman movies. Some franchises should never be made into sequels, because too much of a good thing can kill something great.

I am hopeful, from what I've seen through trailers and read in blogs, that this will be a great movie. I just have to keep my fingers crossed.