Watchmen Report Shows Rorschach Unmasked

Posted by Nathan Deen (nathan@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 14, 2008

The buzz of the upcoming Watchmen movie, which will burst into theaters on March 6, 2009, has inspired me to go out and buy a copy of what is said to be the greatest graphic novel of all time and see what the big deal is. So far, with just two chapters to go, I’ve been blown away. It is an awesome novel and I can see the concerns fans might have with the film adaptation and the challenges director Zack Snyder faces. One of the things that struck me while reading it is what Rorschach will look like in the movie without his mask. When I saw his face in the novel, I said to myself “Jackie Earle Haley is going to play this guy? Really?” He’s a perfect height for the character, but beyond that I just couldn’t fathom it.

Well, G4 has given us an idea of what to expect with the following video below. This brief featurette shows Haley on the set as a maskless Rorschach. It also has interviews with the producers and helmer Synder. Take a look for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

All I can say is: not bad, not bad at all. I’m not yet a believer, but I do feel better about it. From the teaser trailer that I and anybody who saw The Dark Knight (which is over $400 million worth of people) have seen, Snyder seems to have really captured the spirit and feel of the novel. The only area I can see worth questioning is the casting, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, of course, who looks pitch perfect. It’s obvious that the actors chosen to play the league of crimefighters look at least 10-15 years younger than their characters actually are. One of the themes of the book is how the character of Night Owl is looking for a normal life after hanging the costume up, feeling that he is past his prime. That kinda worries me.

Also I would like to point out the question asked by the narrator at the end of the video about will Zack Snyder become the first director to successfully adapt an Alan Moore graphc novel to the big screen? Stop me if I’m wrong but didn’t Moore create V For Vendetta as well? That was a damn good movie that made my Top 10 list in 2005 and ranks an 8.2 on IMDb.

Sound off: Do you have any concerns about the casting of Watchmen? What is you first impression of Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach?

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