The much-anticipated release of the Watchmen Director's Cut rewards fans of both the theatrical release of the film and the 1985 graphic novel with an enhanced narrative that more closely reflects director Zack Snyder's original interpretation. Clocking in at a whopping 186 minutes, this new expanded version of the film adds a lot more exposition to the characters, and is a true director's cut; it doesn't simply take deleted scenes and plop them into the narrative without thought to continuity or rhythm. Rather, the movie replaces excised pieces of the original cut which had been trimmed due to time and ratings considerations, with some key scenes adding a layer of satisfaction to the story that seemed missing from the theatrical release.
Additional Scenes (Beware: Spoilers!)
The question of what would make it into a director's cut of Watchmen has been answered, and the final product is a mixed bag:
· Some minor characters are given a few extra seconds of screen time, and some shots are held a little longer.
· There is more Rorschach, however this is mostly comprised of slightly extended shots and a few extra lines of dialogue. A confrontation with two police officers while Rorschach investigates the Comedian's apartment actually disrupts the narrative.
· Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre II suffered in the original cut, being little more than a scantily clad McGuffin in a male-dominated script. A new scene when she confronts a misogynistic government agent is an eyebrow-raising moment which enhances the character.
The most important additional scene in the Watchmen Director's Cut is the murder of Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl. Attacked by a gang at his home, Mason puts up a valiant though futile fight. Standing against his attackers like a boxer from the 1940's, he envisions each punk as a costumed villain from his past as he lands blow after blow. It is a powerhouse of a scene, and viewers will be left wondering how it could possibly have been cut from the original release. It also sets up another additional scene, where Daniel Dreiberg (Nite Owl II), upon hearing of Hollis' murder, beats a member of the gang to a pulp. The scene is gory and intense, adding another layer to Dreiberg's character.
Extra Features
The Blu-ray release of Watchmen Director's Cut includes some illuminating and entertaining extras:
· The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics is a 29-minute documentary on the history and impact of the Watchmen graphic novel, with insight given on the choices made by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore.
· Real Super Heroes: Real Vigilantes is a 26-minute documentary profiling real-life vigilantes such as Bernard Goetz and the Guardian Angels. The documentary posits that anyone inspired to vigilantism by Watchmen probably didn't understand the book.
· Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World is a 17-minute piece focusing on Professor James Karalios, who consulted on Watchmen. The segment is highly entertaining as it takes on the science of intrinsic fields, Rorschach's mask, and Dr. Manhattan's blue glow.
· The most impressive and innovative extra on the Blu-ray release is the use of "Maximum Movie Mode" instead of traditional commentary, and features side-by side comparisons of movie scenes and the graphic novel, walk-ons by Zack Snyder to explain various elements, and mini-documentaries that are accessible as the movie plays.
The 2-disc DVD release includes only The Phenomenon featurette, and a 30-minute video journal detailing the making of the film (not included on Blu-ray). Both formats include a digital copy of the film for computers and portable devices, and the video for Desolation Row by My Chemical Romance.
Ultimate Watchmen
As important as what was included in the Watchmen Director's Cut is what was omitted. Fans have been clamoring for the reinstatement of the comic-in-a-comic Tales of the Black Freighter into the overall film narrative. While available as a separate DVD, it was not included in either the DVD or Blu-ray release of Watchmen Director's Cut. Absent as well is the mockumentary Under The Hood (a tiny glimpse of which is included in the Blu-ray featurette Real Super Heroes: Real Vigilantes). A rumored release referred to as Ultimate Watchmen, is slated for Christmas 2009, and is to include both featurettes. Whether or not these will actually be worked into an even longer cut of the film is unknown at this time.
The Watchmen Director's Cut is a much more robust and satisfying vision than the Watchmen theatrical release, and it will be very interesting to see which cut of Zack Snyder's masterpiece will ultimately be considered the definitive version of the movie.
