Re: Who Watches the Watchmen?
It's funny how Tom Cruise would be appropriate for the part. So much of the baggage and stereotypes that audiences would take into the theater would actually play very well into the character itself. Sounds like they were in talks but Cruise kind of decided against it, but after this weekend I think he might feel differently. It would be more of a Magnolia type featured supporting role for him and it would really work well. All of our feelings about Tom Cruise would apply so well to Adrian Veidt--it would be some pretty perfect casting and give him a chance to do something darker while playing off of his own image.
Another example of this would be Mel Gibson playing the Comedian. I doubt he would be interested, but it would be another case of an actor's real life image and experiences playing directly into the character being depicted on screen. All the things most people feel about Mel Gibson right now would be carried into the film and the audience would be perfectly prepared for the character's (relatively brief) role in the story. (I mean, how many people in Hollywood would love to see Gibson thrown out of a window?) But if that bit of casting doesn't happen, they should go straight to Ron Perlman.
Rorshach is going to be a lot tougher to cast. They need to get someone whose voice is distinct enough to carry the character when masked, yet have a face that could be suitably made up to be unrecognizable in the various shots of Kovacs before we know who he really is. His character (and his identity reveal in particular) is going to be tough to realize. Reading dialogue coming from two different characters on the page, you don't hear the familiar voice of the actor in both roles, so there is no way that you recognize that it's the same person. This is one of the things that makes the work "unfilmable" as many have said, but I think that it can be done with the right casting and direction. (Same with the President Nixon issue.)
I'm glad that Snyder is keeping the story set in 1985. It's going to be crazy seeing superheroes fighting in the Vietnam flashbacks, blowing up Vietcong helicopters and shooting women. (Imagine the Fantastic Four going to Iraq!!!) The premise itself (as we saw with The Incredibles) is simple and interesting enough to bring in an audience of people now very accepting of comic book movies--a group of retired/banished superheroes reuniting to investigate the murder of one of their former comrades--but people expecting a typical comic book movie are going to be in for a surprise. I think the current political climate is going to be an interesting part of why this film works today even with the period setting.
"God exists. And he's an American."
They always have 50% off sales on Trades at Comic-Con, so I will pick it up this weekend! Okay?
