gsic_batou Reviews

Warrior (2011)

On the hall of fame of sports movie

[9/10 · 17 February 2012]

The warrior feels like a different sports film from the beginning. It's the movie that "The Fighter"(2010) tried to be and fell short of being: a truly great sports movie with real family drama behind it.

Although everyone plays their part beautifully, it is Tom Hardy that makes himself shine with an amazing performance of a very contrived character. The script and directing manage to conceal the character from the viewer until that(inevitable) final fight, where so little is said in words and so much is communicated through the punches.

I don't want to spoil anything. Just go see it, you won't regret it.

9/10

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

Outstanding is an understatement

[10/10 · 17 October 2011]

Television as a medium rarely rises above mediocre levels of quality, concerned only with ratings to up its publicity income. Yet, every once in a while a truly remarkable achievement flashes briefly before the eyes of those carefully looking. Game of Thrones is such an achievement. Its carefully chosen location and cast, the seamlessness of its narrative and character development and its unrestrained but cautious building of its own fantastical world work so well together that a viewer could not be blamed for thinking it all came together magically.

Fantasy is a complicated genre. So much of it is clichés and replaying of old ideas, and yet, when done right, its worlds can successfully reshape our entire thinking of our own. Game of thrones begins with a beautiful introduction of its world in its opening credits, which in these days tends to be reduced in so many shows to the series titles and the producer and director credits. In the opening, we understand the layout of the terrain, and immediately perceive the importance of the divide of the map by "The Wall". This introduction is very clever, as it helps to visualize all the movements of the many character in the game of thrones.

As for the characters, rich in detail and significant and intertwined story lines, they are one of the biggest treats. You care about them the moment they come on the screen, and even if most can be identified as good or bad the moment you see them, the narrative manipulates both them and viewer enough to carry us constantly into unforeseen narrative developments.

Without spoiling its hard to speak of its themes, but all that is common in fantastical stories you will find here, from betrayal and honor, and manipulation and love, but with a more brutal and uncompromising view than most other shows. Even if dragons play a part, this is not a child's show. It's themes are that of adults.

The winter is coming, and it will be a long wait until the next season.

Black Swan (2010)

Darren Aronofsky plays it non-stop

[9/10 · 12 January 2011]

If anything must be said about "Black Swan", is that it keeps a high note throughout its length: it is engrossing, bold, and simultaneously seamless. It is definitely one of my favorites from last year.

I won't waste time with plot line, as the information abounds here on IMDb, but this is a movie that will leave a long term impression on me. It is dramatic and beautiful, conveying grand themes of betrayal, selfishness and sacrifice.

Sad as I was to realize Mila Kunis has too small of a role, Natalie Portman carries itself to another level with this performance. She is irrecognizable and is able of conveying the slightest feelings.

The greatest awards however are due in direction. Forget Fincher, this is Aranofsky year. This movie would never work in any other hands, because if one scene had failed, the ensemble would be nothing as it is.

Extraordinary achievement.

9/10(and only because, for a 10, I need to see it again).

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Overyhyped, but will be loved by many

[5/10 · 6 January 2011]

I love film. I watch many films, many genres, from the most experimental to the most formulaic. And good or bad, I always enjoy the experience, because most movies, whether they execute their ideas well or not, revolve around some aspect of the human experience. No matter how fantastical its world or characters might be, there are always anchors to reality; usually a theme central to the human experience: love, war, despair, happiness, depression, hopes and dreams, regret, etc.

I also love videogames for the experience that they offer. They are fun and engaging, and they can be a fun social experience in the right amount. And although narrative wise they usually don't offer much, that has been changing the past few years.

Why this introduction in a review? Because "Scott Pilgrim vs the World" offers none of what is great about film and none of what is great about gaming. It's like a video game you don't get to play. It is, in one word, boring. I actually had to turn it off the first time, because I was bored out of my mind. The second time I watched it in full, but I didn't enjoy it.

It is a technically well made movie and it has some solid acting, but not only is the script completely devoid of anything interesting, other than childish word play and the regular sarcastic jokes that are so overplayed these days, but it actually doesn't even has a finished story. There is nothing behind it and the characters are so limited in their interactions that they don't even feel like people. They feel like characters in a video game, but since I'm not playing it, I don't care what happens to them.

This is a flashy movie, that moves fast and will please a lot of(young) people, but that ultimately offers nothing to dwell on or appreciate.

I rarely give any move less than a 6 rating, but for sheer boredom and mind numbing action, I give this a 5, and only because I love Edgar Wright's earlier work and hope he will get back on track.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Great fun, even for adults

[8/10 · 2 January 2011]

Here's an animated movie that has everything it should have, an inspired, but simple story without jokes intended for the adult parents who have to sit with their kids in the theater. In "How to train a dragon", it is the majestic artwork that keeps the viewer engaged, with a mix of funny, colored characters and a less heavy handed screenplay than those of pixar. In some ways that should detract from the movie, but somehow it all works into great fun that takes a grown man back to the fun of childhood.

Simple, beautiful and a lot of fun.

8/10

Monsters (2010)

Don't expect a lot of action and you won't be disappointed

[8/10 · 1 January 2011]

Reading reviews here on IMDb, it's clear to see the hate/love extremes represented in them. Another interesting thing about the reviews is that the lower rated reviews are, on average, poorly written. That, I think, derives from the fact that the movie title and some of its marketing material seem to represent another "District 9"-type film, where aliens and humans have prolonged interactions. "Monsters" is a bit more contemplative than that; it is not about an alien invasion, as much as it is about the vision of a biological infestation which does not attack us directly, but which acts as a biological hindrance to our continued development as "kings" of the world. Something which has an aggressive development that we cannot stop or provisionally halt. And that is the theme of "Monsters", which many people seem to view as a motif, because the aliens are rarely and briefly seen and their interactions with humans are mostly coincidental, but in reality this possibility is the main focus of the film, even if delivered through the eyes and expressions of the two main characters in their travel through the infested zone to get to the safety of their home in the US.

That this movie was made with so little money, with only a few people, and looks as good as it does is nothing if not extraordinary. That it manages to achieve the core of what science fiction truly is about by presenting us with a possibility, with a 'what-if', is nothing if not inspiring to each and every filmmaker out there looking to make their movies.

The parallel between the Mexico-us border wall and the one in the movie is really the only political reference; the rest lies strictly withing the realm of science fiction, even if in a far less outrageous and less spectacular thrill ride than any other science film in the last two decades.

For filmaking guts and unflinching sci-fi vision, this movie is unbeaten by any other in the past decade.

Gareth Edwards is a talent to follow.

8/10

Winter's Bone (2010)

Compelling film, extraordinary performances.

[9/10 · 26 December 2010]

This movie tells a story of 17-year old girl who must find her drug-dealing father to prevent losing her home and keep her brothers and mother together. The girl's incredible tenacity will drive her through the difficult relations between her and her father's former partners.

The part of Ree has to be the best female part in a movie in years, and Jennifer Lawrence, who I'd never heard of before, is absolutely amazing in her performance, filling the character with a subtlety that never allows Ree to become a super hero; her feelings seem always uncertain, even the most dangerous situations. The story is simple, but the script develops each character well and yet never loses focus. The remaining cast is just as brilliant as Jennifer.

What amazes me the most about this film is how well it avoids over exposure, allowing the scene and the actors to tell the tale without following the common trend of trying to serve the lowest common denominator, and sensationalize the drama.

The cinematography is truly remarkable and uses well the rural backgrounds to create a sense of desolation and entrapment that this young girl experiences. The directing is pitch perfect.

This is a terrific film and a truly well made drama; and, if the Oscars were truly a measure of greatness in film, this film would not be overlooked. 9/10

Man on Fire (2004)

Hard to dislike, impossible to love

[6/10 · 7 October 2010]

In the realm of film and other assorted arts, its rare to find a piece that propels a conflicting feeling. Usually you like or dislike something, with varying degrees of each, but "Man on Fire" excels in its beautiful direction, acting, photography and then falls face down into mediocrity when it comes to script and plot.

If feels almost a waste that such a beautiful work offers little more than the cheap thrill of a vengeful chase. Its purported intelligent twist, which I guessed with certainty past one hour of its 2:30 running time, is nothing if not the old Hollywood compulsion of tying up all the knots and leave people safely satisfied.

Another reviewer on IMDb states this is a violent film and that it ignores 30 years of social blablabla, but the only violence in this film(other than the cartoonish deaths and bullet wounds), is the ease on which they turn the very serious issue of kidnapping into a thrill ride, all the while pretending they are serious in their approach.

This movie has a lot of good things in it(Denzel is top form in this one), and there are far worse offerings, but it really only works in the shallowest of ways.

How this has a 7.7 rating in this site is beyond me.

PS: for a truly good film on vengeace, try "Oldboy".

REC (2007)

Best use of documentary style horror movie ever

[9/10 · 7 October 2010]

Rec is a direct descendant of "Blair Witch Project", but with a more solid setting, plot and script it manages to work beyond its stylistic gimmick and offer a truly eerie film experience.

Made on a small budget, it never feels cheap, containing great acting as well as being technically perfect(some may complain about the lightning, but I feel it is a stylistic choice that works well).

Ultimately, a lot of the scares are old tricks, but they are included in such a seamless and logical way, that they never feel out of place. The thing I liked most is exactly how it begins in a fun mood and manages to not only get more and more claustrophobic, but how the plot seem to gain speed as it approaches the inevitable conclusion, making you as confused and out of breath as the character themselves.

Highly recommended.

Salt (2010)

For what it is, it's great fun.

[6/10 · 21 August 2010]

Salt is filled with ridiculous ideas, plot holes the size of the sun, and completely overblown action. So, is it worth you time? If you can accept it for what it is, a vehicle for action, then it absolutely is.

Its a movie that is honest with itself; it doesn't try to be something that it isn't. If, for example, the characters had been developed beyond the shallow point in which they are, then it might have been impossible to appreciate the film. But the film never pretends to be more than a vehicle for ridiculous action and as such, it works.

Angelina Jolie is effective, but her efforts again play against the silliness of the film.

Comparisons with Bourne are inevitable(especially the end scene), but this is a silly movie for the silly season, and as such, it compares favorably to the rest of the drivel.

Inception (2010)

Nolan is a master now.

[10/10 · 17 August 2010]

Upon reviewing the "Dark knight" I had said that a director such as Nolan was being wasted in Batman sequels, regardless of their quality. And that was because Nolan is one the few directors in Hollywood able to create something truly original and as such should not be adding branches to fully grown trees.

"Inception" proves the validity of my claim, but it does so in ways that surprised me.

Perhaps the most immediate distinction between "Inception" and the "Dark Knight" is an improved sense of pacing. It doesn't feel like narrative put in a blender like the batman movie did: despite its scope, each scene is warranted plenty of time and the use of more traditional associative cuts allow it to flow better.

The movie itself is difficult to describe,which is a non-issue because it requires itself to be experienced to be understood.

Another area Nolan seems to be grasping is in directing actors: I always liked Leonardo DiCaprio, but his mannerisms at times can be the thing obstructing a good actor from becoming great. In "Inception", all his mannerisms are gone and this is finest performance ever.

The special effects are incredibly well done, which means they don't look like CGI, even when they are. However, one of its greatest technical achievements is the sound editing, perfectly balancing the several momentums of the scenes.

Wishing to provide no spoilers at all, I'll just say it isn't nearly as complicated as some have named it, but it is a complex concept.

I cannot compliment this movie enough. It is the most engaging film experience I have had in a long, long, long time. My advice is don't miss it in the theaters. Don't miss it when it come to DVD. Don't miss it any chance you get.You won't regret it.

Red Dead Redemption (2010 Video Game)

A game I've been waiting my whole life for

[10/10 · 15 July 2010]

I've been playing video games since the days a good driving game was a black and white-move in and out of lane-broken windows on crash game. And throughout the years I've been looking for a truly immersible experience that could drag reality out and place me in the middle of a different reality, as a different person. It took many years, but here it is: "Red Dead Redemption".

The road was long. It took time for 2d to turn 3d and took time for the character's lips to actually move when they talked(big deal, as it added a ton for realism). Then incredible, photo-realistic graphics and my mind was blown away. Game mechanics became better and better and games could now tell stories with immense scope and depth. Then there was GTA IV and it was absolutely amazing, it worked on every level I had dream a game could work...except for one thing: I never wanted to experience arriving at a foreign country and blast my way towards becoming a "playa""...so even tough the game was absolutely perfect, it didn't mean as much as it should have. Enter "Red Dead Redemption". What guy hasn't dream of being a cowboy, free and courageous, traveling by horse on big deserted plains with our ready weapon at our side; hunting, going after the criminals, the bad guys, searching for treasures, sometimes doing a slight cross over to the wrong side of the law. All of that and more you'll find in this game. The scope, the graphics...to just roam the land and hunt, the occasional herding....it seems like you're playing in your own movie. A full cinematic experience that can be lived, delivered through the incredible Rockstar Advanced Game Engine(RAGE).

Many games have great gameplay; many have incredible graphics; many showcase good storytelling, but only this one gives you a completely immersible lost world to be experienced.

If you are a person that enjoys gaming, be it casually or not, you'll love this game.

Signs of Life (1968)

Beautiful; Herzog's first feature film

[8/10 · 3 July 2010]

I guess it should come as no surprise that there are no more than 8 reviews on IMDb about this film. The comfortably habitual Hollywood formula, which in so many ways as found itself in far more than Hollywood pictures, makes it hard for people to appreciate works such as this. This movie premiers Herzog's love for pictures and his rare ability to search them in the most mundane environments-a picture of a statue's foot embedded in the wall, a car slowly crossing a dancing road over a hill disappearing and appearing, two grown man entertained by the mysterious motion of the ears of a small owl toy figure...the list goes on forever.

It tells the story of a soldier who, after being wounded, is sent to recover in a small and peaceful Greek island where he and 3 others are ordered to care for a fort. That reveals itself a boring job and as time passes, the mundane days start slowly removing the sanity from the soldier. The story of a soldier gone mad is hardly novelty, but in Lebenszeichen the soldier goes mad from boredom and the location seems to be the cause of that and that's why we are shown the quiet little island. And it seems Herzog wants us in quiet observance of this routine, just so that he can slap us awake by the impending insanity of the character. My favorite scene is when we observe a landscape of windmills, which is usually used to portray a sense of quietude and peace, and over the hill, on the background of the picture, in small size, we see the soldier losing his mind, waving around like a madmen as if he was being tortured. That duality seems to display the despair in a higher note.

This is not an easy movie to understand and interpret, because it hides more than it shows, it indicates more than it reveals, it searches as much as it offers. Its a beautiful movie and while its not as great as some of Herzog's best efforts, it is certainly worthwhile and memorable.

PS: another reviewer seems to offer the idea that the movie might have been influenced the Stephen King's "The Shinning", but the film predates that novel by 9 years.

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans (2009)

Solid Herzog film, major Cage effort

[8/10 · 25 June 2010]

Having not seen the original and not having read much about this movie, I was quite pleased by it. It tells the downfall of a cop, due to drug addiction, which he gained after becoming injured while on the job. Much of its appeal is in Nicolas Cage's transforming performance, which comes as a surprise at a time when Cage seemed to have resigned from pursuing serious parts and working them with the commitment he did in the past. On The "Bad Lieutenant", he brings back his trademark ability to make life's deterioration through substance abuse seem simultaneously scary and humorous.

Herzog, who is one of the few directors who refuses to limit the direction of his work to appeal to his audience, once again delivers an incredible experience.

Wishing only to leave a compliment to this movie,I'll say its a fun film with a dark side to it and Cage's best interpretation in years.

She's Out of My League (2010)

Plain, but with a nice personality

[6/10 · 12 June 2010]

This is your typical hot girl+non hot guy together kind of a movie, but it does have a bit of heart and some nice comedic characters in between that make it slightly more interesting than it should be. The acting is pretty effective and the story is not, like some suggest, totally unbelievable-just take a look at some of the couples walking around-except perhaps the "I don't care what you do" part. Women do tend to care what the man they are with does for a living/wants to do for a living.

Overall, I give this a solid 5 for its plain narrative structure\directing, but I add one more point for some personable characterization. :) 6/10

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

A sword of two edges: a balanced review

[7/10 · 12 June 2010]

Prince of Persia is one of the few games that have an interesting enough plot to turn into a movie. Another example is the successful Resident Evil, which is an interesting twist on the zombie genre.This movie uses those interesting narrative points well enough to make it an engaging, entertaining movie. The directing is effective, as is the acting(whatever the hell Ebert was complaining about, I missed it) and the visuals are incredibly well done. I feel I must however explain what well done means to me: it doesn't mean an impossible world with good textures and a lot of camera gimmicks, like that of Avatar, but rather a plausible world where CGI is invisible enough to make one not think about it while enjoying the picture.

Now that the good is out of the way, let me say the rest: it is not a brilliant, one of a kind movie. It uses narrative devices that we've seen over and over and it abandons character and narrative development too many times to replace it for action. And while I'd say much of the action is high quality and many people crave for it, in this case I felt the movie could have offered more, had it not been so divided between its story and the violent entries,far too easy to insert in such a tale.

Overall, I was entertained and highly appreciated the visuals(very true to the games). However, I felt more of an emotional impact in the end of the 2008 Prince of Persia game than I did at any point in the movie.

7/10

Alice in Wonderland (I) (2010)

Alice in Wonderland is stunning to look act, but gives up on itself

[7/10 · 31 May 2010]

Alice in Wonderland has always been a bit of an adult imaginary world that adults pretend to be for children. Its an eerie creation and Burton had his heart set right with the tone of the film and its spectacular visuals, which are beautifully and cleverly designed.

Sadly, the film's initial hour promises much more than what we are offered in the end-predictable action and character resolution in fast mode. It seems as though they just gave up on the story and decided to finish it loud and fast, which is shameful as the movie gets so many things right.

In all honesty, had I seen this film as a child I would have loved it and found it extraordinary. In my sadly judgmental maturity, I can't stop but feel this was a missed opportunity.

Depp is great and Mia Wasikowska is a pleasant surprise.

Lost: The End: Part 1 (2010) Season 6, Episode 17

Brilliant ending to a great show.

[24 May 2010]

So it ends, with the two realities explained and not much else. What really is the light? Why would MIB leaving mean the destruction of the world? Those are unanswered questions, but the overall inclination of the ending is one of resolution for the characters more than any larger than life explanations and it works great! Why would the full answers be given? Human beings seem to be always looking for the answer to the perpetually unanswered question WHY?, so its well suited that the writers chose to focus on providing much needed closure to the character.

This shows finale is an amazing(and very long) episode filled with action, surprises and even a bit of poetic feeling.

I loved it!

Shutter Island (2010)

Shutter Island ranks highly

[9/10 · 23 May 2010]

Martin Scorcese finally gives us an original movie where creativity roams free. Well, maybe its not the most inventive of movies, but Scorcese's mastery in joining detective story, film noir, thriller and horror should suffice to make Shutter Island one of this year's highlights.

Leonardo DiCaprio is maturing as an actor and even tough he will probably never reach the acting heights of Pacino, Brando, Ledger or Sellers, he is improving as a leading man and is work is seamless with the tale.

The photography is beautiful and the writing manages to keep us guessing exactly how this chair game will end.

Shutter Island is an oasis in a desert.

Knocked Up (2007)

The way comedies are

[8/10 · 5 April 2010]

In the land of Hollywood, good and worthwhile comedies seem hard to produce, but watching Appatow's serial comedy hits after resisting watching them for a long time makes me wonder why that is.

Appatow does comedies that have two things that seem simple enough to get: an working concept and character driven comedy. Not mindless gags of fart and sex(even tough they're also included), but instead a free for all tale of people that slide over a very earthly subject-in this case, unplanned pregnancy-with a light treatment where depression and pessimist will not have their way. Where the mood should be serious, Appatow takes it maturely in an amusing way. Where the mood should be goofy, he shocks us by making us realize there's more than just funny under the hood of his films.

Seth Rogen may look fat and hopeless in this movie, but Appatow will never let him be shrug of as a nuisance to be done with. Ever since "Freaks and Geeks" he shows us that everyone has problems, but no one has unique problems; he wants to tell us that we all swim in the same pool, even if at different depths in different times. For that alone, his movies will always be gold in my book.

With Honors (1994)

Warm tale from the 90's

[7/10 · 27 January 2010]

I saw this movie as a kid, maybe 13/14 in which I could still fill the gaps and magnify the story by sheer force of imagination and innocence. Today I saw it again as a young adult and while the film-making doesn't shine and the acting isn't as top notch as I had remembered it, the movie still delivers a warm feeling.

This is the type of movie that unfortunately doesn't get made in Hollywood anymore. A simple premise,contrived scope, time frame and number of characters and an optimistic view of the world and people. As a child this perspectives filled the TV and cinema,everything had a moral and the bad guy was always defeated. Today, the movies don't carry the same idealistic view on human nature, preferring the darker(some will claim more realistic) approach on character and plot development. I rather that we had stories of hope than displays of human atrocities.

"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality." ---Dom Helder Camera

Brothers (I) (2009)

Great drama about the traumas of war.

[8/10 · 15 January 2010]

I tend to not be a big fan of contemporary American war movies as they can be so clearly patriotic that myself, as a non-American, will not so easily be moved simply by the depiction of US military war efforts.

This is, however, a terrific exception. This movie, set in the ongoing Afghanistan war, manages to make a point that goes beyond American patriotism and support and enters the delicate but very real drama of post-war traumas.

Tobey Maguire(in what is arguably his greatest achievement yet) plays the part of a marine who is captured and traumatized by an event, which I will not spoil as it adds much to the tension of the movie. Part of the movie deals with his incarceration and the other with his return home and his trouble on getting on with his life. Maguire's part is written subtly and he plays it to perfection, which is what makes this movie such a different experience.

At the time of this writing IMDb rates "Brothers" 7.5. This is probably accurate, but mostly because of a commonplace direction that we've seen so many times. It does compensate in script and acting.

"Brothers" is compelling, intense and it makes you think when you're done. In a time when some of us in the developed countries can close our eyes and ears to the war, it's important to understand that, for those who fight the wars, closing eyes and ears sometimes is not enough.

House M.D.: The Down Low (2010) Season 6, Episode 10

Where are the writers?

[7/10 · 13 January 2010]

A movie can stand on many things beyond writing and they usually have a bigger scope and a more ample world, but on the confines of a hospital a TV show requires extremely good writing. That's what makes good television and that's what made house great for 3 seasons.

With the team change on season 4 it seems the ability to blend character development with the medical cases was reduced, but there were still very strong episodes.

Now, with the nice version of house and uncharacteristic cases that really don't stand out, this show is beginning to display serious writing problems. There is still some wit, but mostly in the dynamic duo of House\Wilson; every other dynamic is just moving about, completely without north or proper placement.

This episode makes a strong case towards the above and it really is a shame, because what was once one of the best shows on television is looking old and unoriginal. It seems to be carrying to much baggage and being dragged down by it.

Hire better writers or put it to sleep.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Seinfeld (2009) Season 7, Episode 10

A fitting conclusion

[10/10 · 2 December 2009]

How do you put together a reunion show without doing a reunion show? Before this episode no one knew.

Larry David pulls it off by continuing his misadventures on the filming of the reunion show, which he has done to try and get together with Sheryl.

In this episode the funniest parts come from honest self-observation, like when Larry states he is George and that he could play George, but Larry knew what people were expecting and he gave us a few scenes of the old Seinfeld, completely on it's own. It doesn't last long, it is disjointed, but for that little while it feels like Seinfeld is back on and you're laughing along with your favorite show again. And when it ends its not bitter, because all it did was remind you that you can always go back and watch the show again and it will always be great.

Watchmen (2009)

Not bad...as long as you haven't read the novel.

[7/10 · 3 July 2009]

"The Watchmen" is a movie adaptation of what many consider to be the best graphic novel of all time. The differences in mediums immediately makes this process extremely difficult, but also makes the comparisons become somewhat less important. A movie must not be compared with a book even if they share so much in common and as such it must be said that "The Watchmen", while a failed adaptation, is an above average movie that presents the story in a comprehensible and maybe even in an enjoyable way.

Unfortunately, this reviewer has read the novel. This reviewer also noticed from the very beginning that the director wanted to be faithful to the book. Scene after scene we are shown animated copies of the book, dialog included. Impressive from a technical point of view that they are able to reproduce all that wonderful and rich imagery. The problems however became apparent soon after. Even if most of the scenes follow the book, that becomes irrelevant since so much of what adds the book its value is missing from the movie. Furthermore, the movie's visuals, even if impressive, didn't require any creative input from the crew since they are copies. All the creativity of value is mostly technical. Worse, the few creative changes that are seen in the movie are all in the purpose of showing more violence or sex or whatever commonplace sentimentality feelings they want the characters to express.

In the end, "The Watchmen" is a good movie, but mostly because it doesn't stray from the novel much and has some of it's value. If you want the full vision and experience, then you're going to have to read the novel.

Snyder may have pulled "300" off, but "The Watchmen" required a more thoughtful approach on adaptation; decisions and choices would have to be made so that, instead of keeping the visuals, the movie could have kept the ideas and feelings of the novel.

7/10. Good movie. Terrible adaptation.